Lean on Me
by Akuma-Chibi
Summary: She was found at such a young age, taken in by Shikaku, not as a daughter, but as a wife in training for his youngest son. How will this affect the Nara Clan...more specifically the laid back, easy going, semi-lazy...Shikamaru?
1. Chapter 1

**Lean on Me...**

 **Summary: She was found at such a young age, taken in by Shikaku, not as a daughter, but as a wife in training for his youngest son. How will this affect the Nara Clan...more specifically the laid back, easy going, semi-lazy...Shikamaru?**

 **Anime: InuYasha/Naruto**

 **Pairing: Shikamaru/Kagome**

 **Genre: Romance/Comfort/Hurt**

 **Rated: M for Mature**

 **-x-x-x-**

 ** _(Mere Hours Ago)_**

 _"_ _Hide and seek...?" Blue eyes played over the landscape of the barren park she stood in with her mother and father in front of her._

 _"_ _That's right, Kagome, we will play Hide and Seek, but here is the thing, you can't come out, you have to hide so well, that mommy and I can't find you." His words were spoken quickly, and in haste as he placed her down, though not without a lingering hug. Finally letting his hands fall from her much smaller frame, he looked out towards the direction they had just come. A wave of fear filtered her mother's eyes, and Kagome wondered what had her parents so worried._

 _"_ _You don't need to be afraid mama, I can play well! I've played Hide and Seek before, and I can hide my Chakra, so even daddy and you can't find me!"_

 _Her mother gave a small smile, though still a bit nervous, she calmed herself with a breath, and placed her hand on her daughters head. Kneeling down, she gave a little laugh, "you made me feel much better, Kagome. Make sure you hide real well, and no one finds you, not for a long time. No matter what you hear, stay hidden, and stay quiet." Pulling from her clothes a familiar necklace, Kagome tilted her head curiously as she draped it over her neck. "This is yours now-" her head shot up, and she looked back over her shoulder with worry before turning back to Kagome. Kissing her on her forehead, she whispered, "you only get five seconds to find a hiding place and hide your Chakra, go!"_

 _Scared at the tone of voice her mother used, Kagome ran quickly out of the sight of her mother and father, drawing in her chakra, she hid it quickly, like muffling a giggle, she hid under a bush where she could vaguely make out her mother and fathers shoes, she looked on curiously at the whispered voices of her mother and father, not able to make out their words, she closed her eyes and focused solely on hiding her chakra. However, it was only a few seconds later, she realized that her parents weren't trying to find her. She wondered if maybe they were having problems figuring out which way she'd gone but when more feet appeared, she realized they had been waiting. 'Who are they?' she tried to angle her head, but she couldn't see more than their knees from where she hid._

 _"_ _Midoriko of the Mountain Shrine...we came for the Healing Orb."_

 _"_ _You are too late, I no longer have it."_

 _"_ _That's too bad."_

 _Kagome frowned, looking at the pretty orb in her hand, she was holding it tightly, not wanting to lose it while hiding._

 _"_ _What will it take for you to tell us its location...I'm willing to bet that I've got an idea as to where it is, already."_

 _"_ _You won't find it, you won't ever find it! You will never get your filthy hands on it!"_

 _"_ _Come now, I'm not sure you're thinking straight, Midoriko, what of your loved ones? Shiga...what of him? Your devoted husband..."_

 _Kagome wanted to see what was going on, but her mother's screaming voice told her to stay right where she was. 'Mama...?'_

 _"_ _Neither of us will let you get your hands on that orb, Orochimaru!"_

 _"_ _Tsk, I guess I'll have no choice but to kill you then, I am under the impression that your brat has it anyways." A cruel chuckle passed his lips, "by your reaction, I'll assume I'm right. Where is your precious little girl? A friend perhaps? Is she being hidden away? I'm sure two smart parents like you wouldn't let her wander to close with the knowledge of my coming to collect your jewel."_

 _"_ _She's gone, long gone! To a place you won't ever find her! You sick monster~!"_

 _Kagome stared with wide eyes as her mother's feet disappeared from the ground and reappeared by another pair of feet, quick movements told Kagome that they were fighting as the others jumped from their own spots, taking on her father who was also moving now. The sound of Kunai against Kunai, Shuriken striking Shuriken, flesh punching flesh, could be heard from where Kagome hid. She carefully scooted back, careful of the leaves, she kept a hand to her lips, and moved out from the bush, just like she'd been taught by her mother and father. They were always teaching her things like this, stealth training. Showing her how to hide her Chakra, how to cover her tracks, how to evade being caught or seen. How to blend in with her surroundings. She knew now why. These people were going to kill her if they found her, and all for her mother's Healing Orb. A shrill scream caused her to stop moving, her eyes widening in terror as she looked on from her spot, the image of her mother's body hovering in the air, impaled by a sword that was held in a pale man's hand._

 _"_ _MIDORIKO~!"_

 _"_ _Sh-Shiga! G-go!"_

 _"_ _No...no, I won't leave you!"_

 _Kagome watched her father charge the man who had impaled her mother, knocking him back, the sword was ripped from her mother's chest and flew back with the man who smashed into a large boulder back past the swing set. Shaking her head, she made to move forward, but was stopped by something gripping tightly at her ankle. Looking down, she noted the thin vine around her wrappings and looked back up to her mother who was looking up at her father, tears in her eyes, she was smiling at him. He was smiling back at her, his own tears burning in his eyes. '...no...mama...daddy...'_

 _"_ _You will both die now,"_

 _The vine moved quicker than Kagome could comprehend, and she was yanked out of the way of the bushes and thrown out towards a nearby river, the splash surely catching the attention of the man who'd struck down her mother, and would most likely kill both of her parents. She felt herself being pulled by the rivers current, her hand still gripping at the necklace, she tried to keep herself above the water, but her head kept bobbing under. "D-DADDY!" She coughed as water filled her lungs, spitting up the water, tears stinging at her eyes, spilling forth endlessly, mixed with the rivers water that had doused her to the bone. "MA-ack! N-NO! MAMA!" The water carried her over a sharp ledge, a waterfall she'd not seen coming, and the rock she hit below...all circumstantial to her current situation. Perhaps it was these very occurrences that had kept her alive, as her silence was imminent. Consciousness was lost to her as the river slowed to a calm drift and she floated down stream._

 **-x-x-x-**

 **(PRESENT)**

...silence...crunch...silence...crunch...slow and stumbling steps crossed bare across the dry leaves of the forest. One step at a time, slow and pained, blood seeping from injuries that painted the small body of a little girl. _"H-help..."_ whispered into the wind, carried on the breeze, a barely heard plea for aid came from her lips. Clinging to life with each tear that fell from her eyes, with each step she forced herself to take.

"Stop where you are!"

A small foot stopped mid-step, and gravity took her as she fell to her knees, looking around the forest curiously, though exhausted from the long walk she'd made from the river after pulling herself from the waters. How she'd ended up there, she couldn't be sure, she only recalled waking to water in her nose. The burning sensation was enough to pull her from her unconscious state. _"...help...me..."_ her voice worn, sore, aching from what she wasn't entirely certain.

Three figures appeared before her, and she let her eyes lift up to them, taking in the blonde man, the man with red hair, and the one hidden in shadows, his trench all that she could clearly see.

"Who are you?"

 _"_ _...K-Ka...go...me..."_ She felt herself sigh a breath of air before falling forward, face planting against the grass as a pair of arms quickly peeled her off the ground. She could clearly see now, a man with black hair pulled into a ponytail, spiked out in the back, two scars across his face, one above his right eye, the other a little ways below it. His black eyes caught her blue eyes, and she locked onto the deep rooted concern within them. He was worried.

"Oi, kid! Don't close your eyes, stay awake!"

 _"_ _T-tired...so, so tired..."_

"Where are your parents, kid?!"

 _"_ _...my...I-I...don't..."_

"Shikaku, we have to get her to the hospital, she's losing consciousness fast, her energy is nearly gone."

"Right, Inoichi, once she is better, you will need to go inside her head and find out what happened to her. I'm not sure she'll be able to tell us much."

"These are marks from Mother Nature, she looks to have gotten in a scuffle with a few trees and a river. I don't know if it was just an accident though. Look here," Shikaku pointed to the mark around her ankle where wraps had long since fallen away from her. A bruise much like that of a rope was present, as if she'd been tied up and dragged, off. "Chouza, do you have a food pill, something to hold her over for a while? We are still a few hours off from Konoha, she most probably wouldn't make it without one."

"Here," Chouza, the red haired, heavier set male in the group, handed a small pill to Shikaku.

"Thanks," he prodded the girls lips open and forced the pill into her mouth, helping her swallow it with the water in his canteen. "She should be fine as far as her chakra goes, the food pill will help replenish it, but we need to wrap these injuries before we head back to Konoha. Inoichi, Chouza, make a perimeter around us, thirty clicks radius, and see if you can find out where this girl was coming from, and if there's any sign of her being attacked or pursued."

 **"Right!"**

Shikaku felt his comrades leave the clearing, glancing down at the girl as her breathing stabilized and her vision cleared, far less blurry than moments before she swallowed the pill. "I don't know what happened to you kid, but we'll keep you safe until we find your parents..." his eyes darkened a bit as a thought occurred to him, _'...if she has any.'_

 **-x-x-x-**

 **Me: Here is the first chapter of Lean on Me. Hope you all enjoy!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Lean on Me...**

 **Summary: She was found at such a young age, taken in by Shikaku, not as a daughter, but as a wife in training for his youngest son. How will this affect the Nara Clan...more specifically the laid back, easy going, semi-lazy...Shikamaru?**

 **Anime: InuYasha/Naruto**

 **Pairing: Shikamaru/Kagome**

 **Genre: Romance/Comfort/Hurt**

 **Rated: M for Mature**

 **-x-x-x-**

Shikaku held the legs of the little girl who was holding onto him, her arms around his neck, as he, Chouza and Inoichi ran towards Konoha. A few hours prior to leaving their makeshift campsite, Inoichi and Chouza had returned from doing a perimeter check, he'd been informed by Inoichi that he had found something and it would do him best to take a look for himself. So leaving Kagome with Chouza who told them he'd stay with her, he left and followed Inoichi to a river twenty or so clicks from camp.

 ** _(FLASHBACK)_**

 _"_ _You can see the leg wrappings from here," Inoichi pointed from where they stood at the base of a waterfall, having followed the river a little bit and come to the sound of heavy water against rocks._

 _Shikaku nodded, seeing well the fabric wrap blowing from the sharp tip of a rock that the girl must have grazed before falling over the edge of the waterfall. "Let's see just how far her trail leads,"_

 _"_ _Right!" Inoichi followed Shikaku up the waterfall, both looking around for any signs of a struggle or fight, anything that would prove their theory that her falling into a river and down a waterfall was no accident. "Can you smell that?" A rustic scent touched their nose, a familiar scent, playing on the wind as they grew closer to another clearing. The scene they came upon wasn't one that they were particularly hoping for, but expecting all the same. "I guess we can rule out her parents looking for her," Inoichi muttered sullenly, a sound of disgust in his voice as he took in the blood and broken bodies lying beside one another. "It looks like they were ambushed, and clearly they lost." Inoichi sighed, "The girl either ran and accidently tripped into the waterfall, which I doubt, or she was pushed over in order to save her."_

 _"_ _...no..." Shikaku lifted a vine, his eyes measuring the thickness and running over the mark on the girls ankle, "I'm willing to bet that the girls' parents, one or both of them, were trained in Earth Ninjutsu, they through her into the river to get her away from their attackers. Now, they are dead, but so are the five Nin around them, this means that one or more survived and will no doubt come looking for the girl."_

 _"_ _We are assuming that they knew about her?" Inoichi asked._

 _"_ _We are assuming that they were after her, or something she knows..." Shikaku stood and glared up at the clouds before taking in a deep breath, "let's head back, we will send another team to pick these two up, for now, our main concern is finishing our mission and getting the kid to safety."_

 ** _(END FLASHBACK)_**

"Kagome," Chouza called from behind Shikaku, "do you remember how you got all wet?"

"...no, I woke up wet, my throat hurt, my head hurt, my eyes hurt...everything hurt...and I was being pulled into the water of that river back there...I grabbed a root and pulled myself out. I don't know how I got in there though."

"You just remember climbing out and hurting then?" Inoichi frowned, "do you know where your parents are?"

"...I don't..." she said, though sounding sad as she spoke those words.

"Can you tell us what they look like?"

"...I can't..."

"What about-"

Shikaku held a hand up and stopped Chouza from asking anything else, "she's suffering from amnesia, I'm certain of it. That incision on her head, I'm sure it happened during her adventure in the river, we will question her more later, but for the time being, a name is enough to work with."

Kagome snuggled into the warm back of Shikaku, thankful for him stopping his friend. She wasn't lying about not knowing where her parents were. The fact of the matter is, she couldn't tell you anything about them. What they looked like, their names, if they were alive or not... _"...mama...daddy..."_ Her hand tightened, the jewel in her hand had been there since she clawed her way out of the river, and yet all she had on her was this jewel she'd been holding onto as if it were her life.

"Do you know what that Jewel in your hand is?" Inoichi asked, catching Shikaku's eyes, before turning back to Kagome. They would be at Konoha's front gate in another half hour or so, he wanted _some_ information to go off of.

"...I..." she paused, looking down at the jewel curiously, she shook her head, "...I don't know..."

Inoichi and Chouza sighed.

"...but...I know it's important." She pulled her arms from around Shikaku's neck and held the jewel with both hands gently, pressing it to her chest, she closed her eyes and a few tears fell along her cheek. _"...I will keep it...safe."_

 **-x-x-x-**

Arriving at Konoha, delivering Kagome to the hospital, then turning in their report to the Hokage, this was the order that Shikaku chose to take.

"I see you have all returned safely, what has your mind wandering, Shikaku?"

Inoichi and Chouza glanced to Shikaku, the three of them had been together since their own school days.

"We came across a young girl on our return to Konoha, she's currently at the Hospital receiving a checkup."

"A young girl?" The Hokage frowned, "how young are you talking?"

"No older than six, she's about the age of Shikamaru." A sudden thought came to him, but he quickly shook it out of his head.

"I see, I will go and see her, is there anything you can tell me about her?"

"Only her name, and not even her last name, just the first." Inoichi said, "Kagome..."

"Kagome...and no last name, five years old...her parents?"

"Deceased." Shikaku answered, "We found them just past the Fire River four hours from the gate, heading North West."

"I'll send a team to retrieve their bodies." The third said as he called out to one of his Shinobi, "Genma,"

"Here," he appeared on one knee, head bowed low.

"Gather two more Shinobi and head North West for four hours, you will come to the Fire River, and a few bodies, bring them back."

"Sir,"

"Genma," Shikaku stopped the man before he could disappear, "they are up the waterfall, you will find them in an abandoned park. The parents of a little girl, and about five Shinobi who they had killed before being killed themselves."

The third sighed, "Genma, take five Shinobi instead,"

"Sir."

Shikaku gave a lazy look out the window and let his mind wander, finally, he said something he'd been thinking about for a while since he'd dropped the girl off at the Hospital, "I would like to care for the girl once she is able to leave the hospital, after Inoichi has a chance to delve into her mind, of course."

"Oh? You wish to adopt her then?" The Hokage sounded surprised.

"No," Shikaku frowned, "I merely think she would make for a good choice in bride for Shikamaru."

Chouza and Inoichi gave their friend a bewildered look, neither knowing what to say, they both stayed silent.

"...I see, very well. It isn't as if we have anything to go off of as far as surviving relatives go. For now, you can care for her."

Shikaku bowed, "thank you, Lord Hokage."

 **-x-x-x-**

 **Me: Chapter two is done, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, much love~! Just finished my ASVAB, sadly I won't know the test results until Friday. I'll keep everyone posted! Also, I changed the photo for the story, it now has a cover art.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Lean on Me...**

 **Summary: She was found at such a young age, taken in by Shikaku, not as a daughter, but as a wife in training for his youngest son. How will this affect the Nara Clan...more specifically the laid back, easy going, semi-lazy...Shikamaru?**

 **Anime: InuYasha/Naruto**

 **Pairing: Shikamaru/Kagome**

 **Genre: Romance/Comfort/Hurt**

 **Rated: M for Mature**

 **-x-x-x-**

Inoichi was the first to get time with Kagome after the medics checked her over for any other injuries besides that which was apparent from the outside. He would delve into her mind, and discover her secrets, or...her secret memories. Shikaku was leaning against the door-frame as he watched the girls eyes close as Inoichi pushed his way into her mind.

From there...everything went silent...

 **-x-x-x-**

 **(Inoichi's P.O.V)**

 ** _'_** ** _I'll take it slow, I don't want to cause her any damage...ah...' Inoichi reached out a hand as he came upon a small figure, a soft glowing self-image of the girl. "Kagome?"_**

 ** _The reflective image of the girl turned, it was basically her inner self. "Hello, why are you here?"_**

 ** _"_** ** _I was hoping you could show me around, I bet you know this place better than I do. I would probably get lost."_**

 ** _"_** ** _...I can show you..." she took his hand with a small smile, guiding him through dark shadows, he found himself looking over a clear landscape with daisies scattered here and there, "this is where I live...or...what the place looks like. These are just memories...though, she won't remember anything for a while...I'm sure it hurts her too much. Is that why you're here? Do you want to see what she can't remember?"_**

 ** _He looked at the house and the yard, it was lonely, but pretty, "I do."_**

 ** _She shook her head, "that's okay, but she should remember on her own, it's painful, when you watch the people you love, die."_**

 ** _"_** ** _So she witnessed it,"_**

 ** _"_** ** _She did..." the image changed to that of the familiar park where he and Shikaku had found the bodies of the girls' parents. No blood was splattered, no bodies lay lifeless. There were two adults standing, looking down, as if staring down at him. "This is the last time they spoke to her..."_**

 **-x-x-x-**

 **(END P.O.V)**

It was silent for a while, finally, Shikaku noted the deep breath of Inoichi as he pulled back from the girl and caught her small frame in his arms as she fell forward. "How did it go?"

"Well, they knew they were being chased, hunted actually. They were being hunted by Orochimaru...for that orb the girl has...it has healing properties, apparently, and he wanted it. He knows they have a daughter, so I'm sure he'll come after her. I can't give a last name, they never told her, and she never heard it. It was mama and daddy, or their first names which they would speak to one another."

The third was standing in the corner of the room, listening to everything as he took it all in. "Can you tell me their names?"

"Inoichi nodded, her father's name was Shiga...and her mother's...Orochimaru called her, Midoriko of the Mountain Shrine. Before his arrival, they said they would play Hide and Seek, they told her to hide, not to make a sound, to hide her chakra...her mother gave her the necklace. She told her it was hers now...Kagome did as told and hid...she was well concealed, and had the perfect vantage point...she watched her parents take out a good handful of Orochimaru's men, witnessed her mother being stabbed by Orochimaru, then her father attacking him before both were killed by the Snake Sanin...before that, her mother preformed an Earth Jutsu, using a vine, she flung her daughter out of Orochimaru's line of sight, and her memories stop there. That was when she hit the rock, and most likely went under water and over the waterfall." Inoichi finished, still holding the girl in his arms as he stood before the Third.

"I see, without her last name, I can't tell if she's got a blood limit, or kekkei genkai. I will send a group to the Mountain Shrine, and maybe we can find out more about the girl's mother...for now...ah," The third smiled, "hello little one,"

Kagome blinked, looking around the room, her eyes landed on Shikaku where they stayed until he gave a sigh of annoyance and held his arms out to take her. She was quick to relocate, placing her head on his shoulder, she snuggled up against him and closed her eyes.

"Before you had made a request to take her in as a child of casualty, I was planning on placing her in Konoha's Orphanage...this is better, I think. Little one," he called the girls attention to him, "my name is Sarutobi, but you can call me Lord Hokage...tonight you will be given time to rest, but tomorrow, I will make you a fully-fledged citizen of Konoha...The Village Hidden in the Leaves."

She gave him a look, letting him know that she heard him, but whether she understood or not, Sarutobi wasn't sure. She turned her eyes away from him, and hid her face in the deer trench that Shikaku wore.

"There's no doubt in my mind that she trusts Shikaku..." Inoichi laughed dryly, "I'm going to take a page from Chouza's book, and head home. Today is Shikamaru's birthday...right?"

"Shikamaru's...and Kagome's. As, today is the first day she's starting her new life. I will also head home now, Lord Hokage."

Sarutobi nodded and watched the two leave. Letting all of today settle in his mind, he gave a soft sigh and left for his tower.

 **-x-x-x-**

As Shikaku landed in front of his house, he glanced out towards the meadow back beyond his yard and looked at a few of the deer grazing. Kagome too was watching them, he wondered vaguely if she'd ever seen a deer, judging from the curious look in her eyes, he'd wager no. Turning the nod of his front door, he pushed it open and heard Yoshino call out to him.

"Welcome home," her footsteps could be heard coming from around the corner, slower steps from upstairs could also be heard heading his way. He watched as both made themselves known as he placed Kagome down at his feet. She was quick to stand and hide, her eyes taking in every little detail around her. "Shikamaru," he acknowledged his son with a small nod, "happy birthday,"

Shikamaru, who was six years old, turned a bored eye to his father before dropping it to the small girl hiding behind his dad's leg. "I know I said surprise me, but this is a little much, don't you think?"

Yoshino seemed just as confused as her son, and a little upset as well. Her eyes narrowing on Shikaku, "I hope you don't expect me to be okay with this."

"I don't know," Shikaku shrugged, "it's not every day you get a wife for your birthday."

Yoshino swatted her husband over the head, shaking hers as she turned to look at her son's reaction. The bored look on his face, semi lost to confusion and a lack of interest. The girl however, was quick to wrap herself in the deer skin coat he wore over his flak jacket and meshed shirt. Giving Shikaku a hard look, the frown on her lips could be heard in her voice, "This is _not_ over." She kneeled down and gave the scared girl a small smile, "dear, let's go get you cleaned up for dinner."

Shikaku watched her look up to him, as if asking if that was okay, he gave her a small nudge forward and she smiled before running to the woman who took her in her arms and made her way upstairs.

"...hey, dad."

"Hmn?" Shikaku glanced to Shikamaru.

"You didn't really need to bring me a wife...one woman is troublesome enough...two is too much. Besides, what is a six year old supposed to do with a wife?"

A hardy laugh left Shikaku as he lifted his son in his arms, this boy was his world, he was truly everything he'd expected when he found out he was having a son, and more still. "She's not your wife yet, Shikamaru, that's not for many more years, but she will be...as for your second statement, I can't argue that your mother is enough trouble, not needing anymore help in the woman department, but...I think you will love this gift, far more than any other gift you will ever get."

Shikamaru blushed at all the attention he was getting from his father, but hugged him back all the same before his dad placed him down on the ground. "While we're waiting, do you want to play a game of Shogi?" Shikamaru asked, bringing both arms behind his head in a testament of his boredom.

"That sounds like a good idea," Shikaku looked up the stairs to where his wife had left to with Kagome, he was sure she would take her time, if only to give him and Shikamaru some time, and allow her a few moments to get to know the young girl as well. It wouldn't be easy, but then...he never liked doing things the easy way, that was far too boring.

 **-x-x-x-**

 **Me: Here is chapter three! I hope you all enjoy this chapter, I got my results back for my ASVAB….I PASSED~! XD I'm so happy! This Monday, I'll go to the recruiting office, I'll pick out my CAREER, and then probably post another chapter and let you know what my choice is. After that, next Sunday and Monday, the twenty-sixth and twenty-seventh, I'll go down to San Antonio for MEP's...A-K-A...my physical's and my TAPAS exam! WISH ME LUCK!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Lean on Me...**

 **Summary: She was found at such a young age, taken in by Shikaku, not as a daughter, but as a wife in training for his youngest son. How will this affect the Nara Clan...more specifically the laid back, easy going, semi-lazy...Shikamaru?**

 **Anime: InuYasha/Naruto**

 **Pairing: Shikamaru/Kagome**

 **Genre: Romance/Comfort/Hurt**

 **Rated: M for Mature**

 **-x-x-x-**

Kagome shied away from the washcloth. A pout on her lips after being dunked beneath the water to wash the blood out of her hair. "So what is your name, little one?"

Kagome pushed her finger in her ear, trying to relieve it of the water that was muffling her hearing. "Kagome...my name is Kagome..."

"That's a pretty name...you know, it gets lonely being the only girl here. You'll be staying with us, if I understand my husband right. How do you feel about that?"

"...I like it."

"Yeah," Yoshino smiled, "well, that's good, I suppose. Shikaku said that you were to be my son's wife, how do you feel about _that_?" Pulling the girls hands away from her hair ears, she washed them clean before rinsing them,

"I like it."

"You do, huh?" Laughing, Yoshino shook her head, "what if I have a problem with it,"

"...you don't like it?" Kagome asked, tilting her head a bit, curious as to how someone could _not_ like an idea of Shikaku's. Shikaku was kind, he found her, he and his friends had found her and saved her. She liked Shikaku...so if he had idea's, she liked them.

"Well, I wouldn't say that I don't like it, I just feel...unsure...about it. Whatever the case, we shall see what happens." Yoshino drained the tub and pulled a fluffy white towel down, holding it open for Kagome who ran into it. Laughing at her childishness, Yoshino lifted her into her arms and began drying her off. Walking into her own room, she didn't even know what the girl could wear. Placing her on the bed centered in her and Shikaku's room, she walked over to the bedroom door before sticking her head out of the doorway. "SHIKAMARU! GRAB A SHIRT AND A PAIR OF PANTS FROM YOUR CLOSET!"

"..."

It was quiet, so her son was either shocked out of his mind and thinking she was insane, or muttering complaints to his father about her ridiculous command. A few seconds later, she heard the footsteps of her son coming up the stairs, he went down the hall and entered his own room before returning to where she stood a few seconds later with an olive green shirt and a pair of khaki cargo pants.

"Thank you," Yoshino smirked at his annoyed expression. "Now go set the table, I'll be down stairs shortly."

"...right."

She watched him leave before looking back behind her where Kagome was staring down curiously at the orb she still wore around her neck, she had refused to let Yoshino take it off of her when bathing her, even with the promise of giving it back, she had said 'no'. Making her way back to her bed, Yoshino pulled the towel away from Kagome who was completely dry now. Helping her into the pants, and then into the shirt. She couldn't contain her laughter at the over-sized clothes that threatened to swallow the girl whole should she let them. Pulling from her drawer in the side table next to her bed, a roll of bandage wrap, she threaded it through the pant loops of her sons' pants and tied it in the front to keep them from falling down around the girls' ankles. "Now...let's go downstairs and eat."

 **-x-x-x-**

It was awkward for Kagome, sitting across from the boy who looked to be a bit older than she was. She knew she was only five years old, her body was small, so often times, people suspected she was younger, but it was okay, at least...she thought it was okay. _"Thank you..."_ her voice was whispered softly as Yoshino placed food on her plate.

"...oh, I'm shocked...my boys just eat the food in front of them...I like you," Yoshino laughed, "you can stay as long as you want. Hearing a thank you every so often is nice."

"I say thank you," Shikaku argued.

Yoshino gave her husband a calculated glare, "I can't count once, you must think it in your head,"

Laughing, he shrugged, "my bad. That may be true."

Her eyes softening a bit, she smiled and settled down beside him. Dinner was eaten in silence, and bedtime was established as Shikamaru was ushered off to bed, and Kagome was put in a spare bedroom that was empty of anything that would normally give life to a person's bedroom. There were no pictures, no tapestries, no candles or curtains. Only a bed, a comforter, and a lamp on the side table near the bed she would be using. Yoshino tucked her in while Shikamaru gave his time to his son who was across the hall from Kagome.

"Am I..."

Kagome's voice halted Yoshino's movements as she turned her eyes to the little girl who was tucked warmly beneath the blankets of the bed. Neither were aware of Shikaku's presence in the doorway. "Yes?"

Kagome looked at the blanket uncertainly before meeting Yoshino's eyes, "Am I allowed to?"

"Are you allowed to...what?"

"...am I allowed to...like this?"

Yoshino frowned, _'am I allowed to like this...is she allowed to 'like this'? What kind of...'_ shaking her head, she smiled, "there is nothing wrong with liking something. There is nothing wrong with being happy. Life is already too short...you have to find as much happiness as you can, and hold onto it as tightly as possible, and then never let go of it once you have it."

"..." Kagome nodded, "okay...then...I like this."

"I'm glad, now...go to sleep, Kagome. Tomorrow will be a long day for you, I''m sure of it."

"Night..." she pulled the blanket up high, and in her hand which lay covered by the heavy blanket, she still clutched the orb around her neck firmly. Sleep gathered in Kagome's eyes and she soon was lost to the world around her. Carried to the warm embrace of her dreams, where fantastical images cradled her in their colors.

 **-x-x-x-**

Sighing, Yoshino left the room, turning, she came face to face with Shikaku who had been leaning against the wall next to the door. "She's really trying hard not to step on anyone's toes. She is also completely ready to jump into any of your numerous ideas...no matter how bad your wife might think they are...she trusts you a lot. Whatever you plan on doing, Shikaku...as your wife, I'm _telling you_ , don't you dare break her trust...don't do something that will hurt her. I know you...sometimes...while thinking...you forget to feel."

Shikaku frowned, knowing what she meant by that, he felt semi insulted by her indication that he could be thoughtless when it came to people, but he knew she was right. He was a Shinobi before he was anything else...sometimes, he forgot that he was also a husband and father, but he knew where his heart was, and while he sometimes got lost in his ideas and plans, when it came down to it, his eyes were open, and he wouldn't do anything that would cause anyone too much harm...hopefully.

 **-x-x-x-**

Shikamaru was woken sometime past midnight to the soft sniffling of the little girl who was supposed to be sleeping in the room across from him, clearly she was not. Climbing out of his bed, he shuffled sleepily across the floor to his door. His eyes halfway closed, he couldn't bring himself to open them all the way. Pushing his door open, he walked across to the other room, entering the room quietly enough, he yawned as he made his way to the bed where the girl was sitting in a kneeling position atop her bed, crying her eyes out with a pillow to her face, trying to muffle the sounds. "Hey..." he called to her, catching her attention as he did. His father had told him that the girl's name was _Kagome_ , but he didn't want to sound so familiar with her...even if she was his... _wife_. "Hey you..."

Kagome lifted her head and tried to wipe her tears away as she turned her eyes to Shikamaru. He was frowning at her, as if she had done something wrong by waking him up. "...sorry..."

He raised a brow, "what are you apologizing for?"

"You're mad, aren't you? I woke you..."

"Yeah, you did. Doesn't mean I'm mad though, it means I'm tired." Shikamaru groaned, "How troublesome..." he climbed up onto her bed, it was larger than his, so there was plenty of room for both of them. Pushing her over, he climbed in beside her and covered up. "I'm tired, but if you are scared, or sad...you can tell me...I'll listen."

Kagome stared at the boy beside her, her eyes wide, tears finally starting to dry. She gave a small smile and a little laugh, "am I allowed to?"

"...yeah, whenever you want. Like I said, I'll listen." Shikamaru leaned back against the bed frame.

Kagome looked down at the pillow she held and a new set of tears began falling, "I'm not sure why...but I feel lonely, and sad. It hurts..."

"Like, a cut or something?" Shikamaru asked curiously.

Shaking her head, Kagome brought a hand to her head, "I was hurt really badly on my head, and the lady who took care of me at the hospital, she said I lost a lot of memories...but I feel still. It hurts...here." Her fingers lingered over her heart, "I feel as if something important is missing, and I want it back."

"I don't know what you're missing, but if I can, I promise to help you find it again...if I can't find it...then maybe...well, maybe when I'm older, I can get you a new one...if it's not too expensive, I mean."

Kagome blushed, listening to the boy next to her, she smiled and laid down, "thank you..." she said, her voice soft as she allowed herself to relax beside him. "Can you stay? I don't want to be alone..."

Shikamaru stared down at her, glad that the shadows in the room hid his own blush, he gave a small nod before speaking, "Yeah...I'll stay..."

 _"_ _Promise?"_ Her voice grew softer as she closed her eyes, sleep once again gripping at her little body.

Another nod, Shikamaru shimmied down into the blankets and laid his head back onto the pillow that had been behind his back, _"...promise..."_

Night crawled along the walls as the two finally drifted off to sleep, neither aware of what drama may ensue come the mornings sun...and neither really caring either. All that mattered, was a promise and the company of what might possibly...be a new friend.

 **-x-x-x-**

 **Me: Here is the next chapter, I have no more news yet, but you guys were so great and supporting, I couldn't help but give you another chapter. I hope it satisfies you guys until tomorrow...well...today. It's three in the morning...so, yeah. Lol, the next chapter will have a small time skip towards the end, nothing too big or drastic, just a little skip...more like a hop, really. Review, and let me know what you think so far, and I'll update again...tonight! For now...sleepy time she comes~!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Lean on Me...**

 **Summary: She was found at such a young age, taken in by Shikaku, not as a daughter, but as a wife in training for his youngest son. How will this affect the Nara Clan...more specifically the laid back, easy going, semi-lazy...Shikamaru?**

 **Anime: InuYasha/Naruto**

 **Pairing: Shikamaru/Kagome**

 **Genre: Romance/Comfort/Hurt**

 **Rated: M for Mature**

 **-x-x-x-**

 _"_ _Shikamaru~"_

Black appeared from beneath sleepy eyelids, glancing around at the unfamiliar room, he slowly sat up and quickly noted the fingers curled into his shirt. Looking down, he let everything from the night before come back to him and gave a small blush. Gently pulling from the girls' hand, he climbed out of the bed and ran with soft feet to the door, about to sneak out as he opened it...only to come face to stomach with his father. Letting his head rise at the incline, he looked up into his dad's eyes. Humored as they were, he could see the silent question nestled within them too.

"Ah, found him Yoshino..."

Yoshino appeared from Shikamaru's room, her eyes wide and frantic as she looked at her son. "Where were you," her eyes met the door behind him, "stupid question, why were you in Kagome's room?"

Shrugging, he brought both arms behind his head, "she was crying last night, woke me up. I went to make sure she was okay and just fell asleep after a while...don't make such a big deal out of this."

 _"_ _Don't make..."_ Yoshino's eyes narrowed on her son, "shower and change!"

Shikamaru jumped at the not so subtle command in his moms' voice, running into his room to grab clothes before running to the shower next to his room.

 _"_ _Makes me worry about him then tells me not to make such a big deal out of this..."_ she scoffed, "that boy, he's just...just like you!"

"Well, no one is telling you otherwise..." Shikaku said, "I'm going to run and pick up something for Kagome to wear, if you could get her ready otherwise, hair, and food, I'll be back shortly."

"Of course, of course...leave her to me."

"Thanks," Shikaku turned and took off down the stairs and out the door.

 **-x-x-x-**

 **(A Few Hours Later)**

"Kagome, please be careful," Yoshino sighed, watching as the two kids wandered around the meadow out behind their home. It was all Nara property, so running around was fine, there wasn't anything that could really hurt the kids. However... Yoshino let her eyes wander over to the herd of Deer.

A single Buck was watching over his Doe's and Fawn's, laying in the meadow further away from the kids, just watching them as they watched their own young. Shikamaru was guiding her towards the deer, careful to go slow, to not be too loud, they stopped a good fifteen feet away from the herd and sat down. Shikamaru laid back and Kagome played with the flowers around them.

She felt the presence of Shikaku coming up behind her and turned a smile on him. "Took you long enough."

He held a bag out for her and she called out for Kagome. The little girl ran towards her and noted the bag that Shikaku was still holding in his hand. She vaguely made out a dress and her eyes were immediately lit up as she grabbed hold of his free hand. A chuckle left him as he watched her smile. The cost of the clothes was nothing to him, but even if it had cost him more than a pretty penny, he'd have bought it if only to see her eyes light up with the smile on her face. She would take some work, but the little things were a good start for bringing her out of the emptiness she was no doubt feeling.

"Yoshino will help you change, Kagome. Then you and I will head to the Lord Hokage's tower and take care of your citizenship."

"..." she didn't understand what that meant, but he said he'd be with her, so that was all that mattered. "Okay..."

 **-x-x-x-**

Running outside as quickly as she could, a large smile on her face, she almost ran into Shikamaru who had to sidestep her or be bulldozed by her. She stopped running and twirled in front of him, "Look Shikamaru, isn't it pretty!" She laughed, playing with the denim dress, it had an elastic neckline and some simple frill detail at the top around her shoulders. Around her neck was the same necklace she'd come to his house wearing.

"...ah...yeah." He shook his head as she ran outside, noting the shoes on her feet, a pair of simple sandals with blue straps and her hair was pulled back at the base of her neck in a ponytail. He looked curiously out the door and smiled, _'she looks happier now...maybe I could take her with me to play with my friends sometime...'_

"You're ready, good, good. And the clothes fit you well, yes?"

She smiled, "yes!"

"Good, let's go then."

Kagome left with Shikaku and the two started off towards the Hokage Tower. Shikamaru turned to his mom and noted the faraway look in her eyes. Not bothering to ask about it, knowing he wouldn't get any answers from her, he asked instead a different question. "Hey mom,"

"...yes, Shikamaru?"

"Can I go play?"

"Of course, just don't be out too late,"

Smiling, he ran out of the fenced yard that cut the rest of the village off from the Nara property. He knew where he would find the others, they usually met up around the bridge or the academy. He wanted to tell them all about the new girl, maybe see if they wanted him to invite her out to play with them. Actually, if he thought about t, that might be really troublesome. Shikamaru sighed, _'I'll just see what happens.'_

 **-x-x-x-**

 **Me: Here is chapter five, much shorter than the last four chapters, but I have to go to work. I hope you all enjoy this chapter though, and I will update again when I get home! Love you guys, please review and keep me company while I'm busy working, nyan~!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Lean on Me...**

 **Summary: She was found at such a young age, taken in by Shikaku, not as a daughter, but as a wife in training for his youngest son. How will this affect the Nara Clan...more specifically the laid back, easy going, semi-lazy...Shikamaru?**

 **Anime: InuYasha/Naruto**

 **Pairing: Shikamaru/Kagome**

 **Genre: Romance/Comfort/Hurt**

 **Rated: M for Mature**

 **-x-x-x-**

Shikaku walked slowly so not to leave Kagome behind. The girl was so enthralled with everything around them...from street stands selling ramen or takiyaki, to the flower stalls right outside the Yamanaka Flower Shop...that he was certain she had never been to a village before. No doubt in his mind that she'd grown up near that abandoned park. If not, he was at least sure that she'd never lived in a village this size.

"Look!" Kagome pointed, excited by what appeared to be the Ninja Academy. "There, over there!" She pointed _harder_ , as if to emphasize what it was that she was pointing at.

Shikaku crouched down curiously at her eye-level, to see what exactly had stolen her attention. Looking in the same direction, he finally saw what it was that had captivated her. A familiar head of silvery white hair could be seen sticking up as the owner of the messy hair walked up alongside a tree not too far away from the Academy. "Hm...That's just basic Chakra control, Kagome."

"..." her eyes zoned in on the man who was walking up the tree.

Shikaku watched, looking on with something akin to intrigue, staring closely at her as she became completely focused on what the Shinobi was doing. "If you tried..." Shikaku finally spoke up, "...you could probably do it to..., but you need to be sure to practice."

Kagome closed her eyes. An image filtered through her mind, flashing in fragments behind her closed eyes.

 _"_ _Focus Kagome...you can't force it...Chakra control isn't easy."_

 _"_ _I can't force it...? I can do it daddy!"_

 _"_ _With time, yes...but you must be patient. You can already hide your chakra so well, and you are getting better at climbing trees, still not getting too high, but you're doing really well all the same. You will be an amazing Kunoichi, Kagome...but you need patience."_

 _"_ _...yes daddy..."_

 _"_ _That's my girl,"_

A tear fell from her eye as she brought her hands to her head before shaking it. _"...daddy..."_

Shikaku's eyes widened, following the simple conclusion that she'd just remembered something, he moved quickly when she fell forward, her knee's having buckled beneath her at whatever hurt she'd just felt, remembering whatever it was she'd just recalled. Lifting her into his arms, he held her carefully as she cried, tucking her face into his chest as he rubbed her back and calmed her heart. Shikaku slowed his walk as he made his way towards the Hokage tower, not making any move to rush while she was in such an emotional state of mind. He would get there, when he got there.

 **-x-x-x-**

 **(Late Afternoon)**

Shikaku sighed as they left the Hokage's office, Kagome was officially a child of casualty and child of the Hidden Leaf Village. He brought his eyes up to stare at the clouds for a moment when he felt a tug at his hand and glanced back down to see Kagome looking a bit happier than her earlier heart aching state of mind. "What's up kid?"

"Can I go play with Shikamaru?"

"Hmn?" He glanced up to see his son playing Ninja with a few of the other village kids. "I don't see why not, but you both should get home before it starts to get dark, understand?"

"Yes, I understand!"

Shikaku quirked a brow before speaking once more, "Kagome, just curious, but how old are you? Do you recall?"

"I...I'm..." she stopped and glanced down at her hands sadly.

He sighed, "You can't remember, can you." It wasn't a question.

Kagome glared down at her hands before clenching both her fists, "I'm five!"

"Oh? Then when is your birthday?"

"Yesterday...you said so..."

Shikaku stared curiously at the girl, "that's right, yours and Shikamaru's birthday, will be the same day. So you were four before we found you?"

She shook her head, "no, but I wasn't five for too long, I know. It wasn't too long...so I'll start over at five."

 _'_ _Start over at five, huh...'_ Shikaku smirked, "very well then, five years old, as of yesterday. Happy belated birthday, Kagome."

Kagome blushed when a large hand found her hair, ruffling it a bit, she brought her hands up to the much larger one and held it gently where it was. She liked this hand, it was warm, and it was safe...

"Dad?"

"Ah, Shikamaru, you should tell Kagome Happy belated birthday, it was yesterday, same as yours."

Shikamaru blinked before bringing both his arms up behind his head, "seriously, how lazy can you be? Did you just do that so you wouldn't have to remember another date?"

"Not quite, and don't complain. Kagome wants to go with you, so be good to her. I'm heading home."

"Yeah, yeah..."

Kagome glanced between Shikaku and Shikamaru before a hand took hers and pulled her. "Shikamaru?"

"Hm?" He glanced to his left, not bothering to turn his head, he simply acknowledged her.

"...happy late birthday..."

He laughed a bit, "yeah, happy late birthday to you too. We can celebrate properly next year."

Kagome smiled, "promise?"

"...promise."

"SHIKAMARU! COME ON!"

The two stopped and turned to see a group of kids calling out for Shikamaru. Four or five were waving him over.

"Come on," he pulled Kagome towards the group, and her only reaction towards being brought over to the large group was pulling her hand from Shikamaru and moving behind him, her hands gripped the back of his shirt. "You don't have to be afraid, their just kids, they won't hurt you."

"...Come on Shikamaru, we're gonna play Ninja, let's go!"

"I'm coming, hold on! Geeze...what a drag..." he sighed, turning back to Kagome, he tilted his head down so that he could meet her eyes, looking almost completely upside down to see her face, she finally glanced up at him. "I'll be there with you, and if you don't like something, you can let me know...I told you last night...if you're sad...or scared...you can tell me, I'll listen."

"Only if I'm sad, or scared?" She glanced curiously at him.

Laughing a little, he straightened up and took her hand in his again, "you can tell me anything, no matter what...I'll listen to you."

 **-x-x-x-**

Yoshino looked up as Shikaku walked up to their door, "where is Kagome?"

"Playing with Shikamaru and his friends."

"Oh?" She smiled, watching her husband settle down beside her.

"Yeah. She's five, by the way. I know I thought she was four when I saw her, but she verified her age a little bit ago."

"I see, she could join the Ninja Academy with Shikamaru, you know? It would be good for him to have a female friend, not just those boys who he's always playing with."

"Which boys?"

Yoshino noted that hard tone in Shikaku's voice, "don't give me that look. I'm not talking about _him_ , I'm talking about those rude brats he's always running around with. I can't stand the way they go out of their way to make fun of some of the other kids...specifically..."

"Chouji...yeah, but Shikamaru knows right from wrong, and if he doesn't like something, he won't just conform with what those boys tell him, he'll do what he wants to do. That's how true friends our forged, you can't force them on someone."

Yoshino leaned her head on Shikaku's shoulder and sighed, "I know. I just...Chouji is such a kind boy, with so much heart to give...he deserves better than how those kids treat him."

Shikaku said nothing, but ran his fingers over his wife's hand in his silent show of consoling.

 **-x-x-x-**

 _"_ _I don't like it..."_ Kagome was introduced to all the kids, and she had liked talking to each of them. They were nice to her, and playful, and fun...but that wasn't how they were to all the kids. Shikamaru was standing off to the side at the moment arguing about numbers, for a game of some sort.

"If it's even numbers that you are so concerned about, Kagome can be on our team. Right Kagome?!" The boy called to her.

Kagome glanced to the back of one of the boys who was walking away from their group, Shikamaru seemed to also be looking at him too. When he suddenly stopped, Kagome felt her heart leap into her throat when he reached his hand up and pulled a butterfly from the web it had been stuck in before he finally left the playground they were on. She turned to Shikamaru and ran up to him, her eyes wide and disappointed, _"I don't want to play, Shikamaru."_

He couldn't blame her, he wasn't all that into the game himself. "You guys enjoy the game, Kagome and I are gonna go."

It was Kagome's hand that took his this time, surprising him a little bit, but he held it all the same as he pulled her away from the group of boys who were now complaining about him leaving because of some _fat kid_.

"We can go find a quiet place and cloud gaze for a bit, I'm tired anyways."

Kagome watched Shikamaru a step behind as he walked ahead of her, hands still held tightly. _'Shikamaru...is really nice...'_ she smiled at the thought. Bringing her hand to the necklace around her neck, she held the orb with her free hand before speeding up her steps to walk alongside him, eyes to the sky, hair blowing gently with the breeze, dress swaying to a dance that was only understood by the wind. "I bet that boy is sad..." she said, closing her eyes a bit as she let Shikamaru guide her, "I know, if it was me...I would be sad...his heart is beautiful, but fragile...Shikamaru...I don't want his heart to ever be hurt."

" _Troublesome_...I...can't promise you that it won't be." He sighed, "...I'll tell you now, Kagome...I'm not going to make promises I know I can't keep. Sad things happen a lot, so there's no way to keep a heart from hurting...but...I can promise to do everything in my own ability, to make his heart strong enough to handle the hurt. I'm sure, you could lend a hand too..."

"Am I allowed to?"

Shikamaru quirked a brow, this was the second time he'd heard her ask that question. Shaking his head, he didn't think too much about the strange question she continued to pose, "of course you're allowed. Chouji is a nice guy, I saw him save that butterfly. No other kid would have done that...you saw him too."

"I did..."

Shikamaru turned towards a stairway that led to a rooftop. "...then," a butterfly fluttered past him and he smiled, "...we can discuss more in further detail later...for now, I want to just lay back and look at the clouds."

 **-x-x-x-**

 **Me: Here is chapter six. I need to stop staying up so late to update, lol. Its 2:22 AM...ooh...MAKE A WISH~! (Closes eyes! Makes Wish!) Tomorrow...nope, sorry...wait, yes, Tomorrow, Monday...I'm going to pick my Career! So, I'm excited! I gave you a longer chapter to make up for the much shorter chapter I posted earlier. I hope you enjoy! Sadly, I lied, I thought I would get to the time skip in this chapter, but I'm tired and need sleep, besides...what's a bit of character building...right? Lol, review!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Lean on Me...**

 **Summary: She was found at such a young age, taken in by Shikaku, not as a daughter, but as a wife in training for his youngest son. How will this affect the Nara Clan...more specifically the laid back, easy going, semi-lazy...Shikamaru?**

 **Anime: InuYasha/Naruto**

 **Pairing: Shikamaru/Kagome**

 **Genre: Romance/Comfort/Hurt**

 **Rated: M for Mature**

 **-x-x-x-**

Three days had passed since Shikaku had left Kagome with Shikamaru. The two disappeared every day at the same time, ten in the morning, then came racing back for lunch around one, and disappeared again at three before returning once again for dinner and bed. Yoshino was certain that they were off playing with more of the bad influences that ran amok the village, and insisted on Shikaku following them one day just to see what they were doing with their time. Shikaku had happily reported that the two miscreants were not running around with the bratty children that caused Chouji so much trouble, but was in fact with Chouji himself.

"I'm happy..." Yoshino grinned, tossing one of her husband's kunai in the air before catching it and tossing it up in the air again. She repeated the action quite a few times before a hand shot out before her and caught the kunai before it touched her fingers. She glanced to her left and smirked, "you look a bit stressed, dear," Yoshino brought her hands to Shikaku's chest, running her fingers up the mesh of his shirt and over his shoulders, "is there anything I can do to alleviate such tension?"

Shikaku smirked, "I can think of a few things you can do, let's start at the beginning of my list and make our way to the bottom, shall we?" Shikaku pulled her inside the house, the door closing behind him, providing them with the privacy they so deeply desired.

 **-x-x-x-**

Kagome laughed from behind Chouji, pulling at his cheek as she turned his pout into a big smile. "Come on Chouji!" She called out, jumping playfully over his shoulder and landing in front of him before turning and to face him. "No one needs to know,"

Shikamaru shook his head, "saying something like that, it sounds like we are about to do something really bad."

Kagome frowned, "seeking knowledge isn't bad...Shikamaru,"

"No, but the way we are about to go about it...let's just say I wouldn't necessarily recommend it."

Kagome shrugged, "fine... _fraidy-cats..._ I'll go on my own then."

Shikamaru sighed as he watched Kagome run off in the direction of the Academy. Over the course of the last three days, Kagome had been gaining memories, little by little. Small things, at first...and then yesterday...Shikamaru laughed, "Come on Chouji, this could be fun."

 **-x-x-x-**

Kagome was standing atop a tree branch, looking through a window of the Academy, she jumped quietly to the windowsill and smiled. Looking down at her feet, she gave a soft sigh and let her mind wander to the day before, or more exact...the memory she recalled from the day before.

 **(Flashback)**

 ** _"_** ** _Mama! I did it!" A woman turned, her long black hair flaring around her knees and her blue eyes leveling Kagome with a soothing stare. "Mama...I walked to the way, way top of the tree!"_**

 ** _"_** ** _Really?"_**

 ** _"_** ** _Really, she did great, Midoriko." A man said from behind Kagome._**

 ** _Midoriko smiled, "could you show me, Kagome?"_**

 ** _"_** ** _YEAH!" Kagome pulled her mother out of the house, pulling her towards the tallest tree out back behind their house. "Ready mama?"_**

 ** _"_** ** _Oh, I'm ready."_**

 ** _Kagome brought her hands together and concentrated her chakra on the soles of her feet, making sure that the amount of chakra was balanced, not too much, not too little. When she was sure she had it right, she relaxed and calmly started walking up the tree, one step after the other, reaching the very top of the twenty-six foot tree she waved excitedly down at both her mother and father. "SEE! I DID IT!"_**

 ** _"_** ** _...yes..." Midoriko smiled, "yes you did!"_**

 **(End Flashback)**

 _"_ _...and again...I did it again, mama..."_ Kagome whispered softly as she smiled and snuck down the hall. About to peek inside one of the cracked doors, she nearly screamed when a hand touched her shoulder, only for a second hand to clamp over her mouth faster than noise could escape her. She was turned around and came face to face with Shikamaru and Chouji who were both crouched behind her. _"...i thought you weren't coming..."_

 _"_ _Like I'd let a girl sneak into a Ninja Academy classroom by herself."_

Kagome gave him an unamused look, _"...I'm sure there's a word for that...I just can't think of any."_

 _"_ _I think I know which word you want to use, I've heard my mom use it on my dad before..."_ Shikamaru muttered.

Kagome grinned before peering around the corner and into the class, Chouji got lower and peered inside just below where she stood, and Shikamaru leaned over her a bit to see inside as well. _"What are they working on?"_

 _"_ _Looks like clone Jutsu's...tch...you have to actually be in the class to learn this stuff. Watching for five or six minutes isn't going to help any of us. Come on..."_ Shikamaru pulled at Kagome and the three hightailed it out of the Academy before they could get caught. "I don't know what you like so much about the Academy."

"Well..." Kagome looked back at the building, "I like learning. I remember...daddy and mama would always teach me things like Chakra control and tree climbing...I want to do more than just that though."

"...right. Well, for now, let's go home and eat..."

"I'm starved!" Chouji complained, having been hungry the whole time, mainly part of the reason he'd been so against going in the first place.

 **-x-x-x-**

Shikamaru and Kagome arrived at the house after parting ways with Chouji, the two coming to a stop in front of the house as the door opened and Shikaku stepped out.

"Ah...there you two are. Go inside and get yourselves cleaned up."

Shikamaru pocketed his hands before sighing, "yeah, right..."

Watching the boy enter the house, Shikaku turned to see Kagome had stayed behind. "What's wrong, Kagome?"

"...nothing...I was...I wanted to ask you something. Can I?"

"Go ahead," Shikaku motioned with his hand for her to continue.

Looking back to the door, to double check that Shikamaru wasn't lingering back and waiting for her, she gave a determined nod and turned her eyes back to Shikaku. "I want to go to the Ninja Academy!"

"...you _want_ to attend the Academy?"

"Yes!" Kagome smiled, "I can walk up trees, I can! And my chakra control is really good too! I remember it! I remember it from when mama and daddy taught me!"

He held a hand up and she silenced herself quickly before ducking her head, taking a careful breath as she did. Finally, she raised her head and her eyes met his. Shikaku looked thoughtfully at her for a moment before groaning, "why can't Shikamaru be as self-motivated as you are?" Shikaku laughed, "I'll talk it over with the third Hokage, but you need to practice every day, Kagome. You are only five, are you certain you want to do this? He may say no..."

Kagome nodded, "if the Hokage says no...then..." she paused and took a deep breath before continuing, "...then I'll just work harder until he says yes!"

"Very well, go clean up, and I'll bring this up tomorrow with the Hokage."

"Yes sir," Kagome called happily, then took off running up to the front door and inside.

Shikaku sat down and heaved a long sigh of frustration, the girl was proving to be extremely talented, he was already entertaining the idea of practicing Shogi and Go with her, to help her intellectually grow, maybe encourage her to play with Shikamaru some too. _'If she's serious about this...I'll put her through a basic practice regimen...we can see where she goes from there, but only after I've spoken with the Hokage.'_

 **-x-x-x-**

 **(Next Day)**

"I understand what you are saying," Sarutobi said, his voice hard with years of combat and age, "she is however...really young..."

"Yes sir, however, if it's age that you are conflicted with, let me point out that many of our greatest shinobi attended extremely young, and graduated equally as young. I can't be sure when they all attended, but for instance, Hatake, Kakashi graduated at five, the legendary sanin graduated at six, Uchiha, Itachi...who, by the way, is a Jounin and at only twelve years old, he graduated at seven...really, what is age, but a number. She _wants_ this...Lord Hokage..."

"...three months..."

"...sir?"

"Three months to get her physically prepared, she can enter the Academy then if that is still her wish. I can have someone train her privately, or you can train her yourself if you wish, the choice...is yours."

"..." Shikaku took a moment to think over what the Hokage said, "...can I make a request for a _teacher_?"

Sarutobi nodded, "I'm open to suggestions..."

"Very well then, I would like...Uchiha, Itachi to teach her..."

 **-x-x-x-**

 **Me: Here is chapter seven, let me know what you guys think, nyan~! I was too excited about going to pick out my career today...I'm so happy! Anyways, I'm moving along with this story, but funny peace of information for you guys, while I'm only on the seventh chapter...I finished chapter twenty-something a little while ago, now I have to write chapters eight and up till I get to the chapter far later in the story. I had an idea and just HAD to write it down, but...lol, here's to more chapters. Drop me a review, and let me know what you think, nyan~!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Lean on Me...**

 **Summary: She was found at such a young age, taken in by Shikaku, not as a daughter, but as a wife in training for his youngest son. How will this affect the Nara Clan...more specifically the laid back, easy going, semi-lazy...Shikamaru?**

 **Anime: InuYasha/Naruto**

 **Pairing: Shikamaru/Kagome**

 **Genre: Romance/Comfort/Hurt**

 **Rated: M for Mature**

 **-x-x-x-**

"AH!" Kagome flinched as she hit the ground hard. Looking up, she heaved deeply and continued trying to catch her breath. "...ow..." she cringed as she stood backed up and looked to the branch that had snapped under her weight, however light she may have been. "It was split..." she lifted the branch and followed a crack all the way down the side, and down the middle. "I should have noticed that...before jumping on it..."

"Kagome,"

The five year old turned to see Shikaku standing with another person at his side. "...did you talk with the Hokage?" She ran forward, dropping the branch on the ground as she did. "What did he say!?"

"...yes..." Shikaku answered shortly.

"REALLY!?" Kagome jumped happily beside Shikaku. "I get to go to the academy!"

"In three months...yes, you do."

Kagome stopped celebrating, "wait...what do you mean? I have to take a test?"

"Something like that," Shikaku responded, turning to face a boy beside him, he nodded his head to him before turning to Kagome. "This is Itachi, he will be teaching you over the next three months, preparing you physically for the Academy. He went into the Academy when he was five years old, and graduated when he was seven to boot. For that reason, I believe he will be the best person to teach you."

Kagome stared up at the boy, looking at him with wide eyes, she smiled and bowed politely to him before turning her eyes onto Shikaku. "I will work hard!"

"Good, that's what I wanted to here," Shikaku turned and faced Itachi, "I leave her in your care, let me know what you want to do as far as her training goes, so I know what time she should be heading out of the house, and when to expect her home. I would also appreciate weekly updates on her performance and improvements."

"I understand, Shikaku...I will report every weekend, and also inform you of my plans for her in regards to her training...should those plans change, I will let you know."

"Good..." Shikaku turned and left, but not before giving Kagome one more last fleeting look before returning to his house where his wife was waiting for him.

Kagome stood quietly beside Itachi, watching Shikaku leave before a hand reached down and settled on her shoulder. She looked up and met charcoal black eyes, "Itachi-Sensei..."

"...you were using the Chakra Adhesion Jutsu, correct?"

"I don't know...was I?"

Itachi gave Kagome a curious look before kneeling down in front of her. "How about, before we get too far into your training, we go over your word knowledge."

"My word knowledge? I thought that I was already more advanced in speaking than most kids my age. Shikaku said that it's the same for Shikamaru."

"I wasn't referring to your speech...simply the terms used in everyday Shinobi life."

"Like?"

"Like the names of basic Jutsu..."

"Oh...like what?" Kagome sat down, Itachi doing the same across from her.

"Henge no Jutsu..."

"What's that?"

"It's the most basic of Transformation Techniques, with this jutsu, the user assumes the appearance of another person or animal..."

"Oh! Shikamaru, Chouji and I...we snuck into the Academy yesterday and saw the kids in the class practicing that one!"

"Three kids snuck into the Ninja Academy and not a one of you got caught?" Itachi smirked.

"It's not as if we were there for very long, besides that, no teacher is going to be able to tell apart three kids who aren't attending the Academy, from the rest of the kids attending. There are too many kids, the teachers don't see every student that enters the Academy...they wouldn't know who attends and who doesn't."

Itachi nodded, "that's true...how do you feel about Chakra Control? Could you demonstrate your Chakra Adhesion Jutsu?"

Kagome stood up and ran towards the tree she'd fallen from a while ago, placing her hands together to form the basic chakra concentration hand sign, a-k-a...the ram. Gathering her chakra evenly to the soles of her feet, she relaxed before taking up in a run all the way to the top of the tree. She stopped atop it, glancing out at the village as she did. _"...perfect chakra control..."_

"I agree."

Kagome jumped, losing her balance, she started to fall from her perch on the tree when a hand shot out and pulled her up. Kagome found herself in the arms of her new teacher, a fierce blush staining her cheeks. "PUT ME DOWN! I DON'T NEED HELP! I DON'T!" She blushed harder as he maneuvered her better in his arms before jumping down from the tree and landing silently on the ground below. She looked down at her fingers that were curling tightly into a fist, _"...I don't...need help like that..."_

"Like what?"

"Babying...I'm not weak. A fall like that wouldn't kill me...it would only make me stronger!"

Itachi nodded, "yes, you're right...and while it was making you stronger, your training would be stopped and I'd return to being placed on A and S class missions. I'm alright with that, but I doubt you are."

Silence filled the air, and Kagome was placed on the ground carefully, a heavy awkwardness settled on her shoulders as his words settled in her ears. _'...it's going to be such a long day...'_

 **-x-x-x-**

Shikaku glanced up from the Shogi table, his son was too busy paying attention to the pieces on the board. He completely missed the tired Kagome who stumbled in at almost nine o'clock with her new teacher. In fact, it wasn't until Itachi spoke, that Shikamaru even realized that someone else was in the room with them.

"Shikaku, sir...as requested, I decided on her training regimen...she will have Monday to rest, and Thursday to rest, but Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday will be training days, each starting at seven in the morning, and ending no earlier than six in the evening, unless something comes up that changes this. I am impressed by her chakra control, and while she doesn't know the terms of the Jutsu's...she's actually quite gifted in Ninjutsu. It comes naturally to her...well...almost naturally. She still will have to put forth the effort and a lot of hard work, but she should show great signs of improvements. I will check in every weekend...on Sunday, since today is Friday, I will skip the first weekend, but check in on the following. Will that be acceptable?"

"...yes, that will be fine. Thank you for taking the time to do this. I'm sure you could be doing other things with your time, but I greatly appreciate you training Kagome."

"It's no problem, I get a break from my missions by doing this, so I'll gladly take it." Itachi turned to Kagome, "be at the Naka River at seven o'clock, no later."

Kagome nodded, sitting down with her legs in a crisscross position, she watched him leave the house and yawned sleepily. Her eyes drooping shut well before she realized it, never even thinking of where the Naka River was located.

"Dad...she's out..." Shikamaru said, standing in front of Kagome and waving a hand in front of her face. He couldn't believe the girl had fallen asleep in that sitting position. Mind you, he could do that too...but that was him.

"I'll have Yoshino put her to bed,"

"Right," Shikamaru watched his father stand and make his way to the door towards the hall of their house. "Hey...dad. I'm just wondering...how is she going to find Naka River? We never go that way, and she's only been here for a little less than five days."

"I'll take her tomorrow, but after that, she'll need to find her own way. On her breaks, the days she has to rest, if you could take her around the whole of the village and familiarize her with everything, that would be great."

"I could do that... _troublesome as it may be_..." Shikamaru sighed, "Why is she training again?"

"She's wants to go into the Academy...why not join her?"

"Nah...I'll wait till the others go in...seven is the normal age for students to start attending anyways, I don't know why she's in such a hurry to go to the academy..."

Shikaku scoffed at his lazy son, "because some kids are actually motivated by success...Shikamaru...you are motivated by how quickly you get to go home and sleep."

 _"_ _Tch..."_ Shikamaru turned away from his father and left the room, _'Whatever...I just don't see a point in pushing myself to excel in lessons that will sooner be taught to me when I'm seven anyways. I enjoy my freedom and free time...I have to make every second last while I can! Looks like I'll have to be the bigger man and help Kagome find some time to relax a bit too, from now on.'_

 **-x-x-x-**

 **Me: Here is chapter eight! AND I BRING NEWS! I chose my career today, and as if there wasn't enough NARUTO in my life at the moment, I chose a Career very similar to that of Lady Tsunade's and Sakura's! I'm going in as a Field Medic! XD Totally excited! Looking forward to my MEP's and TAPAS even more now, but that's this coming Sunday and Monday! SO KEEP ME IN YOUR PRAYERS~! And review!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Lean on Me...**

 **Summary: She was found at such a young age, taken in by Shikaku, not as a daughter, but as a wife in training for his youngest son. How will this affect the Nara Clan...more specifically the laid back, easy going, semi-lazy...Shikamaru?**

 **Anime: InuYasha/Naruto**

 **Pairing: Shikamaru/Kagome**

 **Genre: Romance/Comfort/Hurt**

 **Rated: M for Mature**

 **-x-x-x-**

"I don't want to..."

"It's just like walking up a tree, Kagome." Itachi said calmly, watching as the girl stared blankly at the water in front of them.

"No...Let's skip this and move on to the next lesson." Kagome tried to pull Itachi away from the Naka River, but he wouldn't move.

The duo had been training on the absolute basics of Ninjutsu and Taijutsu for the last week and a half, and he was pleased with her steady flow of chakra and unfaltering control over it, not to mention the steady incline of growth as far as her performance was concerned. This morning, he had come to train her with the very intention of teaching her to walk on water, not caring to follow the Academy Curriculum, he decided to beat a different path and guide her in his own way. One that he knew worked well for him and one he hoped would work well for her. However...he couldn't even get her near the water of the Naka River. She simply refused to budge...but then...so did he.

Shifting his feet a bit, he turned and glanced down at Kagome, "I'm not arguing with you, Kagome. This isn't a request, its today's lesson. Now, it's only slightly different-KAGOME!"

Gone! She was out of his sight faster than he'd anticipated, just barely able to see her silhouette in the fog of the early morning. Moving quickly, he started after her, sure that he could catch her, but not quite prepared for the chase she ended up giving him.

 **-x-x-x-**

"So how's it going Shikaku?" Inoichi asked as he walked over towards his old friend and teammate. "Heard you got the Uchiha prodigy to train your sons' _wife_."

"She's not my-! Gah...what a drag...!" Shikamaru blushed at the looks he was getting from his dad and his dad's friend.

"We can put that aside for right now," Inoichi laughed, though his eyes took on a far more serious look in them as they turned back to Shikaku who had a thoughtful look on his face. "About Kagome...I understand that there are others who have joined the Academy at ages as young as three and four...but are you certain that she's prepared for the physical strain of a Ninja student?" He glanced to Shikamaru, "you aren't even making your son join until he's seven or eight."

"She's not my son..." Shikaku answered calmly, "It's not my job to tell her yes or no. I will surely utilize her as a Shinobi once she's old enough to carry out missions, however, she is on her own as far as lessons and school goes. She asked if she could go, I brought it up to the Hokage, he said she could in three months after some time has been spent practicing. He was going to get a Jounin to teach her, I requested the Uchiha Prodigy, since he's the closest to her situation. He went in at five, and graduated at seven."

"Fine, I understand that..." Inoichi sighed.

"Hey...dad," Shikamaru nudged his father a bit with his elbow before pointing behind the two adults.

The two men turned in time to see a flash of blue and black race past the Yamanaka Flower Shop, followed shortly after by a blur of black.

"Wasn't that Kagome...and Itachi?" Shikamaru asked, staring in the direction that the two had just run off in.

Inoichi shook his head, "Looks like she's not as ready as you thought."

 **-x-x-x-**

Kagome picked up her pace, pushing her chakra to her feet, she forced herself to move faster, she could already see that she was making her way back towards Naka River. The fact that she didn't know the village well enough to navigate only made running away from Itachi harder. Looking over her shoulder, she couldn't see him, she started to slow her steps down and turned around only to find she'd run a little further than she'd meant to. A wet splash around her feet and the feel of mud pulling at her shoes caused her to try and step back. The mud however, refused to let her go. Her balance was compromised when the wind caused her to sway, bringing her to her hands and knees as it did.

That feeling she got being in the river...was the most painful she'd ever felt.

 _"_ _D-DADDY! MAMA!"_

Kagome shook violently at the memory of her own scream. Closing her eyes, she cried, her tears falling into the river as she let gravity pull her down completely to her hands. Her hair trailing downstream with the gentle flow of the water. A hand on her shoulder pulled to her attention before leaving her shoulder and taking both hands and pulling her out of the water by her waist. She didn't bother looking to see who'd pulled her out of the water, she turned and buried her face in the black shirt of the owner of those hands. She couldn't stop crying, it hurt...every time she thought of them...it hurt.

"Kagome...we can come back to that...later. Today, let's focus instead on shuriken practice...alright?"

Kagome nodded, _"sorry Itachi-Sensei..."_

Itachi brought a hand to rest atop her head and sighed, "no, this was my fault. I don't know enough about you Kagome, I made the mistake of assuming you wouldn't be afraid of anything. I won't make the same mistake again." Itachi turned his eyes to the man who was standing behind him. A glare in his eyes, mixed with his normally uncaring eyes, he wasn't pleased with what had taken place, but he couldn't blame the girl. She clearly had a problem, one that no one had informed him of yet. _'I will figure out what is wrong with her tonight...'_

Kagome continued training, under the watchful eyes of Itachi. Shikaku too had decided to stay, though he kept hidden from her eyes during her training, he stayed and watched. Itachi was well aware of the man who was keeping an eye on them. "I'm going to create clones for you Kagome," Itachi said as he brought his hands together to form the Dog hand sign, creating six solid clones and having them spread out around Kagome. "They won't move fast, but they will be running, nothing more than that of a civilian though...you will be throwing your Shuriken at them."

"It won't hurt you if I hit them?"

"No," Itachi gave a nearly nonexistent smile, but a smile none the less. "You needn't worry about me, Kagome. However, if a Shuriken does trail off course from your target and somehow manages to find its way in my general direction...I'm sure I'll be able to catch it or step out of the way...alright?"

"Yeah!"

Training continued, days passed...and the knowledge of his _students_ past had been revealed to him on that very day she'd gotten stuck in the Naka River. Since then, they had relocated their training to the Uchiha District's personal training grounds, though not without telling Shikaku, of course. On this particular night, the hours had already left the two behind, and night began to grow heavy above them. It was far later than Itachi was used to when they finally finished training. Nearing ten o'clock, he laughed as he stepped up to the tired little girl who was covered in scuffs, scratches and bruises. She was working so hard...he couldn't help but wonder what it was that was driving her to keep going. Sitting down crisscross on the grass, he watched her follow his example and sit in the same position across from him. "You are improving quickly, Kagome..."

The girl nodded, trying to calm her racing heart, she heaved a deep breath and then released it, repeating this a few times before finally sighing as she regained control over her breathing. "All thanks to you, Itachi-Sensei!"

It had been nearly three weeks since they became Sensei and Student. Neither could complain any longer about their situation, both were adapting well to the situation, and Itachi found himself enjoying the time away from his clan.

"Let's check off the list, Chakra Control?"

"Check,"

"Walking up trees?"

"Check,"

"Shuriken Throwing?"

"Still hard when your Clones start to run like Shinobi, rather than Civilians...but I got it down as far as technique goes...I just wish my eyes were better...like yours!"

Itachi brought a hand to his eyes and gave a small frown. He had shown her his Sharingan when he tried to ease her into throwing her Shuriken with the intent to hurt him. Telling her that he would catch them hadn't placated her until he showed her his eyes and explained that there was nothing he wouldn't see so long as his Sharingan was activated.

"What about Henge?" Kagome asked, though she knew she was still practicing the transforming Jutsu.

"It needs work, but nothing to be ashamed of. We've only been working on it for two days. You can't excel in everything."

Kagome frowned, "unlike the other kids here, who have their own _secrets_ because of their _clans_...I want to be the best, which will be hard enough since I don't have a last name like they do. I don't know what my clan is or if they had unique abilities...I'm just..." Kagome sighed, "I'm just _Kagome_."

Itachi shrugged, "I like Kagome...so if that's all you are, I say that's nothing to complain about."

"But you are an _Uchiha_...you're a prodigy...right?"

"You are correct, on both accounts..."

 _"_ _See..."_ a pout formed on her lips as she gave him a pathetic look. One he didn't care for seeing on her.

Itachi stood and shook his head, "I see nothing." He held a hand out to Kagome, and pulled her to her feet when she took it. "Listen to me carefully, Kagome...for if you remember anything I teach you, remember this." Pausing, he made sure that he had her attention, when he was certain she was listening, he continued. "Skill, Ability, Greatness...these things are not determined by your name, but by your actions..."

Blue eyes widened, taking in those words as Itachi released her hand and stepped back.

"Understand?"

Nodding, Kagome smiled. "...yeah...I understand."

"Good, then let's call it a night. It's late, tomorrow is Monday, so I'll see you on Tuesday at seven,"

"Right!" Kagome waved farewell to Itachi before taking off in a run towards the Nara Clan compound. _'Skill, Ability, Greatness...these things are not determined by your name, but by your actions...'_ Kagome felt giddy, the entire way home she ran with a smile. _'Then I will become great without a last name...I am Kagome...that is me, that is who I am!'_

 **-x-x-x-**

 **Me: Here is chapter nine~! I was asked when I deploy for basics. I wasn't sure if I should say it, but I guess it would be wrong not to let my readers no when I'm leaving. July 25th is my departure day. I won't have any internet, or phone...or anything...I'm hoping they'll let me keep a notebook and pen, but I'm not sure quite yet as to what all I can take with me. I hope you will all be patient, but for now, let's see how much of this fic I can get written before my date of departure! Love you all, and thank you for all of your well wishes! Let me know what you think of this chapter, and I'll update again tomorrow~!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Lean on Me...**

 **Summary: She was found at such a young age, taken in by Shikaku, not as a daughter, but as a wife in training for his youngest son. How will this affect the Nara Clan...more specifically the laid back, easy going, semi-lazy...Shikamaru?**

 **Anime: InuYasha/Naruto**

 **Pairing: Shikamaru/Kagome**

 **Genre: Romance/Comfort/Hurt**

 **Rated: M for Mature**

 **-x-x-x-**

 **(Two Months and One Week Later)**

Kagome stopped in front of the Hokage Tower, making her way towards the stairs, she started up the steps and smiled to herself as she thought of everything she'd accomplished to get to where she was.

" _Faster Kagome!"_

" _I'm moving as fast as I can, it just doesn't seem that way because of your eyes!"_

" _Then out move my eyes!"_

 _Kagome growled, but pushed more chakra to her feet to increase her speed. This wasn't the most beneficial way to improve her speed, but until she'd had time to cultivate her speed, this would have to do._

"I'm going to be an Academy student now!" Kagome grinned, making her way faster up the steps.

" _Itachi-Sensei! I'm ready for the water!"_

" _Are you sure?" Itachi looked at her curiously. "You don't have to if you don't want to. I understand that you had a bad experience with it before."_

" _I only have two more weeks before I'm done with your training, I want to take with me everything you can teach me...please, Itachi-Sensei!"_

" _...fine, let's go to Naka River then."_

' _I learned to walk on water, throw kunai, balance on floating logs, fight using Taijutsu...even learned how to do Itachi's Fire Style Jutsu. Though...he told me not to let anyone see me do it, not unless it's absolutely necessary.'_ Kagome smiled as she stopped in front of the Hokage's door. "Alright Kagome...you can do this!" She brought her hand to the door and knocked.

" _Come in,"_

 **-x-x-x-**

 **(The Next Day)**

Shikamaru shook his head as he sat at the breakfast table, watching from a distance as his mother helped the nervous Kagome get ready for _school_. He just couldn't understand her fascination with the Academy. "You know, all you will do there is sit and listen,"

Kagome turned and stuck her tongue out at Shikamaru before taking Shikaku's hand in hers, "if that's how I'll learn to be a better me, then I'll sit quietly and listen!"

" _Tch...whatever."_

"Let's go, I'll take you to the Academy since it's your first day." Shikaku commented, then guided her out the front door.

"Mom?"

"Yes?" Yoshino turned from where she stood looking after the retreating backs of Shikaku and Kagome.

"Is that normal?"

Yoshino shook her head, "I don't think so, but then, I also don't think being as unmotivated as you are is normal either."

Shikamaru frowned, looking down at his plate, he finished his food before leaving to find his friends. _'I don't care what anyone says, I'm quite content being "unmotivated"...'_

 **-x-x-x-**

Kagome waked with Shikaku to her class, she would be in the beginners class, and was starting to get nervous as he held his hand on her shoulder to guide her to her classroom.

"Kagome,"

Stopping, Kagome turned around to face Shikaku, "yes sir?"

"...starting three months ago, you decided on a path to take. This path is one to protect this village, its Hokage, and the villagers. Are you following me still?"

"I am..." her eyes settled on his as they stopped walking a few feet away from the door to her classroom.

"Then I will continue. This next part is the most important." Shikaku kneeled down in front of her. "What you do from here on out, is not only for this village, but for you, and for Shikamaru. Your role as his future wife, will be determined by the choices you make. Is that understood?"

"...yes sir...?" Kagome frowned, "...you call me Shikamaru's future "wife" a lot...is that really what you want for him?"

"What do you mean?"

"...I'm just a child of casualty...my parents are dead...I have no last name or family to speak of. Why me?"

"...because you have nothing, you will be all the more determined to protect the one person who means the most to you. Perhaps not now, but you will find yourself in love with Shikamaru...one day...and when you do, you won't let anyone or anything, take him away."

' _One day I will love Shikamaru?'_ Kagome smiled, "if you say so, sir!"

"Good, then go to class, your teacher is waiting for you."

Running the rest of the way to the door, she knocked three times and entered when the voice of a teacher called for her to come in.

 **-x-x-x-**

"Our new student,"

Kagome walked forward towards the man with a scar over his nose, "my name is Kagome..."

"I am Iruka-Sensei," the man smiled kindly, crouching down in front of Kagome, "it's nice of you to join us. Why not tell the class a little bit about yourself?"

Kagome looked towards the kids, "...my name is Kagome...I'm five years old...and I am staying with the Nara's. I...I was trained by Itachi-Sensei for three months before coming to join the Academy, so that I'd be up to speed with kids that were older than me...and...well, I guess that's it."

"You're staying with the Nara's? Where are your mom and dad?"

"They were killed." Kagome answered honestly, no longer feeling the sting in her chest at the mention of her mother or father. Itachi had helped her a lot with her emotional trauma. Though, her hand still found its way to the jewel around her neck.

"...I'm sorry to hear that Kagome, loss is hard for everyone."

"Itachi-Sensei says you can only get stronger..." Kagome smiled, "I'll become stronger,"

Iruka smiled, nodding his head he turned back to his students and took a quick look around before pointing, "Neji, raise your hand." A boy in the back raised his hand, his long black hair was tied back out of his white eyes. "Kagome, you can sit in the free spot next to Neji."

"Thank you, Iruka-Sensei." Kagome ran up the steps toward the bench that Neji sat on, scooting in next to him, she smiled his way before turning her attention back to Iruka.

"So, before Kagome got here, we were discussing the Meridian system. Can anyone tell me what another name for the Meridian system is?"

Kagome and Neji were the only hands that went up.

"We will let Kagome answer this one, I'd like to hear what she has to say."

Neji nodded, both placing their hands down. Kagome stood and took a small breath before speaking, "The meridian system goes by two familiar names. Channel network and Chakra network."

"And what does the Chakra network do?" Iruka asked her.

"...the chakra network is the path through which the life energy known as chakra flow. There are many types of Chakra, and throughout the body, many chakra points, that should someone press them in the right way, could actually disable the use of the path. Not counting the basic of chakra points, there are twelve standard chakra points, and eight extraordinary chakra points. The Chakra's follow the most basic of element styles, fire, water, and earth, metal and wood...there of course are others, but these make up the most basic. All types of Chakra are compatible to the body, but there are some that can take life while giving someone their desired strength."

Iruka blinked a bit before smiling, "I see that Itachi taught you well,"

"He did," Kagome sat down and waited for Iruka to continue, not paying attention to the white eyes that strayed onto her small form from the side.

-x-x-x-

Shikamaru sighed, Chouji was next to him with a bag of potato chips in his hands. "Man, what a drag."

"Hmn?" Chouji looked to Shikamaru, the two were waiting for Kagome to finish with her first class. Having not seen her much since her training with Itachi had started, both were feeling the effects of her _neglect_. Though, they couldn't really say that she was neglecting them, they were really just bored, and yeah...they _kind of_ missed having her around. Popping the last of his chips in his mouth, Chouji looked up in time to see the kids making their way out of the Academy. "Look!"

Lazily, Shikamaru picked his head up and turned his eyes towards the doors of the Academy. He couldn't see Kagome yet, but since the kids were starting to come out, he could only imagine that she'd be out soon too. A familiar laugh pulled his attention from the front entrance where the students were coming out from, to the side of the building where Kagome was walking out from around the back with someone beside her. A boy was next to her, a little older than she was, by the looks of it. Shikamaru couldn't be sure of what the boy had said to get Kagome to laugh, but whatever it was, he really had her beaming. Somehow...this only made him frown. "Oi!" He called out, his voice had a snap to it, one that he wasn't used to. His eyes followed the girl as she stopped and turned her attention onto him. A different smile found her lips and she ran forward and captured him in a hug, though he didn't care to return it, he looked back to the boy and noted the glare that was directed his way. He shared a similar look with the boy before walking with Kagome and Chouji beside him.

Chouji glanced back and forth between Shikamaru and the boy back at the Academy before pulling out another snack.

"Oh!" Kagome turned, "thanks again, Neji! See you tomorrow!"

Those words felt like kunai to Shikamaru, and he watched Kagome turn back towards the direction they were walking, and his eyes just barely caught sight of the smirk on the lips of the boy _Neji_.

 **-x-x-x-**

 **Me: Here is chapter ten! WOOOT~! I hope you all like it! Tomorrow is...wait, no, never mind. Tomorrow I work, the day AFTER tomorrow, is MEP's and my TAPAS test. So Wish me luck, everyone~! I'm moving some knew characters in, and going to do a time skip next chapter, this means drama will arise soon. So...with that all said, I hope you all enjoy this update, review and tell me what you think!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Lean on Me...**

 **Summary: She was found at such a young age, taken in by Shikaku, not as a daughter, but as a wife in training for his youngest son. How will this affect the Nara Clan...more specifically the laid back, easy going, semi-lazy...Shikamaru?**

 **Anime: InuYasha/Naruto**

 **Pairing: Shikamaru/Kagome**

 **Genre: Romance/Comfort/Hurt**

 **Rated: M for Mature**

 **-x-x-x-**

 **Time Skip**

 **AGES**

 **Kagome – 6**

 **Rookie Nine – 7**

 **Neji – 8**

 **Itachi - 13**

 **-x-x-x-**

Kagome glared out the window of her bedroom, it was supposed to be a special day for her and Shikamaru. She had taken the day off from training, and had told Shikaku and Yoshino that she'd be out with Shikamaru for most of the day. She even told her sparring partner Neji that she wasn't going to be available until tomorrow. Today was hers and Shikamaru's birthday, and he'd _promised_ her that they would celebrate their birthday properly this year. "Find out he's forgotten all about that promise." Kagome sighed. Standing, she walked out of her room and left the house, making her way towards the deer she'd become greatly fond of. "I wanted to spend this time with Shikamaru, but I guess you guys will have to keep me company..." Two fawns rubbed their noses gently up against her hand.

The clouds above turned grey, bringing their own promise with the heavy winds that started to carry her hair in their dance. _'It's going to rain...'_

 **-x-x-x-**

Neji was walking towards the Academy to drop off a letter for his instructor, noting the lack of people on the streets, he knew it would be best to get home soon if he wanted to avoid the rainfall that was sure to come. "Hm?" Looking out towards the playground in front of the Academy, he saw someone sleeping beneath the tree that held the swing. "Nara?" The lazy boy was the annoyance of his life. He somehow kept the smart, and fast paced Kagome all to himself, and he didn't have to lift a finger to do so. Neji couldn't understand how the girl could be so completely ready to drop everything to see this kind of unmotivated kid.

"Where's Kagome?" Shikamaru asked as he sat up to look at Neji. A similar look of annoyance on Shikamaru's face. "I would have thought you two would be training again. Don't you normally do that on weekends?"

Neji frowned, "she took a day off of training...something about a 'promise'?"

Shikamaru stared in surprise at Neji, though his eyes took on a normal calm that the other had become accustomed to seeing. "I thought she forgot about that."

"Not even close. She's being thinking about nothing but that promise, whatever it is. She said it was important that she had nothing planned today."

"Ah...geeze..." he stood and patted his pants of the dirt from the ground before turning and walking off, barely raising a hand in farewell to Neji as he made his way home...but not before taking a quick detour. Glancing up at the feel of a raindrop falling on his shoulder, he cringed before speeding his walk and turning it into a run.

 **-x-x-x-**

Kagome turned at the sound of sloshy footsteps. It was pouring, but she was still lying on her back in the rain, she had been crying for a good hour before the rain washed away her tears, now she couldn't tell which were tears and which were drops of rain. "You lied..."

"...no I didn't..." he crouched down and held out a box to her.

Kagome stared at the long box that was similar to the ones that held necklaces and bracelets. "I don't like jewelry..."

Shikamaru laughed, "I'm seven...Kagome...I didn't get you jewelry."

"..." finally sitting up, she turned around, her hair soaking wet from the rain that was still falling heavily. Shikamaru was also soaked to the bone. She took the box and looked carefully up at Shikamaru before finally pulling the lid of the box off. Her eyes widened and she smiled at the preciously made Iris that lay in the box. It wasn't a real flower, it was made of glass, and painted naturally with translucent colors. "It's pretty...thank you..."

"Yeah, the woman at the counter said it means...'a promise kept'..." Shikamaru muttered, laying back against the grass as he said that.

"...how did you buy it? Like you said, you're seven." Kagome frowned, brushing water from her eyes as the rain made it difficult for her to see before lightening up slightly.

"I had asked mom for some money this morning, and left to get something. Then...I saw you with Neji...and I guess...I thought you forgot."

"I saw Neji around eight this morning...he asked if I was sure I didn't want to train with him...I told him that I couldn't today. I told him...it was your day...yours and mine." Kagome blushed, hugging the flower gently to her chest.

"I'm an idiot."

"No...You're smart. Really smart. That's why your dad has us play Shogi together, he says he wants your intellect to rub off on me."

Shaking his head, Shikamaru said nothing. Keeping his eyes closed as the rain continued. He sighed, and let himself relax in the silence. Listening to only the soft noises that Kagome would make when she moved, and the sounds of rain and wind around him.

" _...Shikamaru?"_ Kagome said softly, leaning over him from where she sat behind him. Her long black hair falling to the grass and shielding him from the rain.

Shikamaru didn't bother to open his eyes, he just acknowledged her with a soft _'hmn'_.

She leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek, _"thank you,"_

" _Mn,"_

" _Shikamaru?"_

" _Hm?"_

" _Happy Birthday,"_

" _...happy birthday..."_ The light blush staining his cheeks the only giveaway that he was embarrassed, but he made no show of moving away from her or opening her eyes. _'Troublesome...'_

 **-x-x-x-**

 **(Next Morning)**

" **Idiots!"** Yoshino's angry voice could be heard throughout the Nara household, **"I can't believe the two of you stayed out all night in the rain! Are you trying to kill yourselves?! Have neither of you ever heard the phrase** ** _"you'll catch your death"_** **!? I'm sure I've said it before! I don't just say it for my health! Quite the contrary, I say it for yours!"**

Shikaku listened to his wife as she scolded the two kids who were both lying in their beds, she was standing in the hall, between their rooms, screaming. She had been so upset when she'd woken up at eleven to the sound of laughter, and the splashing of puddles. Neither had thought the two were still awake, assuming that after dinner, when they'd left the kitchen, they'd gone upstairs and readied themselves for bed like they normally did. Nope...no, they got the smart idea in their head to sneak out and play in the meadow.

" **Neither one of you will leave this house today! In fact...don't even get out of your beds!"**

Yes, his wife was very upset. He listened as the doors slammed shut, Yoshino's footsteps could be heard coming down the hall, and then down the stairs, before walking in his direction towards the kitchen. "Yoshino...Kagome has school. Shikamaru is supposed to be starting today too."

"Your son and Kagome are too sick to even stand!" She snapped, "now, you can go to the Academy and let their sensei's know that neither students will be there today, and quite possibly tomorrow. I have to go and grab some ingredients for soup."

Sighing, Shikaku stood and did as told, leaving quickly and quietly through the door so not to cause Yoshino to redirect her anger towards him.

 **-x-x-x-**

Kagome listened as Shikaku left, Yoshino followed shortly after and she pushed the blankets off of her and pulled her feet over the edge of the bed. She was sore, tired and drowsy, he felt warm, and dizzy. Standing, she walked carefully across the cool wood of the floor, embracing the chill that found her feet as she left her room and made her way across the hall to Shikamaru's bedroom. Quietly opening the door, she found Shikamaru sitting up in bed, staring irritably out the window until he noticed her in his doorway.

"Oh...hey." He scooted over so that she could sit down beside him on his bed. It wasn't nearly as large as hers.

Often times, she found herself wondering why her bed was larger and his smaller, but she guessed it didn't matter. "It's my fault, isn't it..." Kagome said, crawling under the covers and settling down beside him.

"No, I could have told you no..." he recalled her whispering to him late last night, asking him to play with her while it was still raining. He knew it wasn't the best idea, but she was looking at him with big blue eyes, and he couldn't say no...Not that he really wanted to. "...well, maybe not. Still, it's my fault too."

Sighing, Kagome laid her head on half the pillow that was beneath Shikamaru's own head, _"Still...I'm happy. I had fun last night."_

Sleep started pulling the two kids who were overcome with a fever, _"...yeah, me too..."_

In the shadows of one bedroom, two kids lay dreaming of raindrops and whistling wind, basking bucks, dancing does and frolicking fawns. In the sun's light of another bedroom, atop a dresser, lay a glass Iris, sparkling from a _Promise Kept_.

To these two children, the world had stopped just for them, and once better, it would resume...for now, however...they were content in the silence and stillness of their sleep.

 **-x-x-x-**

 **Me: Chapter Eleven! Today is MEP's and TAPAS! So...yeah...I'm not nervous...really, really I'm not...fine, maybe a little. But I have the support of my readers! I couldn't bring myself to leave without updating another chapter, so please review, I'll still get those while I'm away, and that support really helps me! Also...I like to hear what you think of the story and how it's progressing. Anyway, hope you all enjoy!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Lean on Me...**

 **Summary: She was found at such a young age, taken in by Shikaku, not as a daughter, but as a wife in training for his youngest son. How will this affect the Nara Clan...more specifically the laid back, easy going, semi-lazy...Shikamaru?**

 **Anime: InuYasha/Naruto**

 **Pairing: Shikamaru/Kagome**

 **Genre: Romance/Comfort/Hurt**

 **Rated: M for Mature**

 **-x-x-x-**

Neji was sitting in his seat in class, a tad earlier than he was used to, but having woken up early to train, he had plenty of time to spare. Coming to the Academy, he had hoped to finish going over his answers, though he knew they were right, he simply didn't want to be around his uncle and his weak cousin. Since his father was killed, he had started to harbor darker feelings towards his main branch relatives. Not caring for their words of condolences or the pitied looks directed towards him. He just wished they would leave him be. All of them.

"Neji!"

Glancing up towards the door to the class, he saw one of the females in his class running towards him. "...Tenten, you are here early."

"Not really, I normally come to the academy early. I clean and sharpen my weapons before classes start." Tenten walked over to his desk and sat down beside him in Kagome's seat. He gave her a hard look, and she laughed. "I'm not going to stay here, I merely thought that you and I could talk while waiting."

"...I see no point in holding a conversation with you."

"Right," Tenten frowned, "but you have no problem talking to Kagome. The little orphan girl who was taken in by the Nara clan and trained by Itachi Uchiha. Yeah...I can see how I would be a waste of your time."

"I see no point, because I came here with the intention to go over my work, not indulge in talk." Neji said calmly, though he was quickly becoming annoyed. The girl shrugged and he watched her take a seat a few spots away from him before pulling out her Kunai's and Shurikens along with a soft cloth and sharpening stone.

He returned to his schoolwork and cherished the silence, all but the sounds of the sharpening stone gliding along the blades, and the scratching of his pencil.

 **-x-x-x-**

Kagome stumbled out of the house, tripping over an elongated weed that had seemingly grown over night across the front step of the house. She glared and got down on her knees to pull it. Not wanting anyone to face plant because of the long piece of grass and root. "Shikamaru!" She called, after pulling the root completely out of the grass, and tossing it to the side, "hurry up!" After being in bed sick for half a week, the two were finally heading to school. For Shikamaru, it was his first day, the Entrance Ceremony for new students was today. For Kagome, she was starting in the intermediate classes today, she and a few other students in her class had moved on from the beginner's class. However, Iruka had told her that she shouldn't get comfortable, since she already knew most of what was taught in the intermediate class, she might be ushered off to the advanced class sooner than she thought. "Shika-!"

"I'm here!"

Kagome turned to the door and frowned, "What took you so long?"

Shrugging his shoulders, he fixed his bag that was slipping down from where he'd stationed it. "I was waiting for my mom to finish packing my bag. I didn't realize I had to carry so much."

Kagome frowned, "...you don't." She held out the miniscule bag she toted around to hold her weapons and a notebook and pencil, "she over packed your bag. It doesn't matter though, you'll figure out this week what you need and what you don't, and then you can make adjustments. Now, let's go!"

"What a drag,"

Laughing, Kagome took Shikamaru's hand in hers and pulled him along the way to school. Walking rather peacefully as he held her hand carefully. "Everything is such a _drag_ to you, Shikamaru. You have to have something that you enjoy doing."

"...things I enjoy doing? There's a couple..." he glanced in her direction and scoffed, "but those are few and in-between."

"Well, I have a lot of things I like doing!"

"Of course you do," boredom seeped from his lips as he listened to her talk.

"I like training with Neji!" she started listing, "I like lying back in the meadow with the deer's...and playing in the rain..." she continued, "I really like celebrating birthdays with you, Shikamaru...and when we stay in the same room together, I like that..."

Shikamaru blushed, his eyes widening as he turned his eyes to look in her direction, "seriously, don't say that too loud!"

She smiled at him, "...I also like playing Go and Shogi with you, and talking with you. I like training with Itachi too!" Her eyes sparkled as she added that last one to her list and let go of Shikamaru's hand, he watched her run quickly ahead of him and in the direction of her most recent topic of interest. "Itachi-Sensei!"

The boy turned around and she watched him kneel down in front of her, beside him was none other than his little brother, Sasuke, who would also be starting in the Beginners class with him. Shikamaru walked over to the three and watched Itachi place a gentle hand on Kagome's head. Immediately, he noticed the look of surprise in Sasuke's eyes. He'd only seen the boy around the village with his mother, knowing him by name due only to his brother being a prodigy and all. What he knew of the boy, little as it may be, was he received very little in show of affection.

"Are you coming to the entrance ceremony?"

"I am, my father is busy, I wanted to make sure someone was there for my brother."

Kagome looked to the left of Itachi, smiling, she held her hand out to the boy next to her Sensei. "Hi! I'm Kagome! What's your name?"

"...Sasuke Uchiha." Sasuke took her hand in his with a firm grip, or as firm as a seven year olds grip could be. "How do you know my brother?"

"He was given a three month mission to train me."

"...you...trained with my brother for three months?"

Kagome nodded, "yeah, though...he does check up on me once in a while to make sure I'm not slipping or neglecting what he taught me. Which I don't!" She grinned, "anyway, the Entrance Ceremony is starting soon, you should hurry. Shikamaru will be in your class, Sasuke, so maybe I'll see you around too?"

Sasuke blushed and glanced away as she and Shikamaru walked off, though not before she gave his brother a final hug goodbye.

 **-x-x-x-**

"...you're awfully friendly to her, Itachi..." Sasuke frowned after the girl and her friend were farther ahead of them. "I can't get you to teach me to throw Kunai...yet you spent three months training some girl who isn't even family?"

"It was a mission assigned to me by the Hokage, Sasuke." He sighed, "look, you don't need to understand why I trained Kagome. I will admit that she's become very important to me, but she isn't my baby brother, no one will take your place, Sasuke."

Sasuke smiled, "good!"

 **-x-x-x-**

"I'll see you after school, Shikamaru!"

"Hey Shikamaru!"

Kagome and Shikamaru both turned to see Chouji and his father walking in their direction. Beside them was Yoshino and Shikaku. The two adults had told them to go on ahead of them, and had finally caught up with them at the Academy. "Chouji!"

"Hey Kagome," Chouji blushed, smiling nervously as he took the hand she held out to him. He was pulled over to Shikamaru by her and the three made their way to the other new students. Though, Kagome wouldn't be able to stay long, she wanted to stay long enough to wish the two boys luck on their first day.

"If it isn't Chouji, Shikamaru and his girlfriend!"

Kagome glanced back as a few new students started laughing at her. It didn't bother her, not really. They could say whatever they wanted to say, but when they brought up Chouji's name, she became defensive. "You watch what you say!" Kagome snapped. She caught the attention of Shikamaru and Chouji's parents, as well as the parents of the group of boys teasing them.

"Oh? What's wrong? You don't like me making fun of you? Or is it your lazy boyfriend and fat friend that you don't like me talking about?"

"Machi!"

The boy jumped and turned to see his mother glaring down at him, "mom...!"

"Don't look so surprised! Is this how you talk to other children?! I _thought_ I raised you better!"

Kagome walked forward and put a hand on the boys shoulder, causing him to turn around and look back at her. "I don't know what it is that we did to cause you to talk to us that way, but I will say this. With all due respect to your mother," she nodded her head in the direction of the woman behind him before continuing, "You are a brat, and a bully. Far be it for me to tell you stuff I'm sure you already know. I don't really care what you say about me...but when you insult Shikamaru and Chouji...then we have a problem. I'll leave you with this warning...should it happen again, I won't restrain myself, I won't consider the consequences of hostility." She released her vice grip on his shoulder, turned to the mother of the boy, bowed, and then left to her class.

It was silent on the academy grounds after Kagome left. The stunned parents stared questioningly at the three kids who remained where they were, watching the back of the little girl who left the impression of a threat back on the playground.

"...interesting," Shikaku chuckled.

"Tch..." Shikamaru blushed, "you mean _troublesome_."

"Hush, both of you!" Yoshino frowned, "Shikamaru, you and Chouji should both line up for the Entrance Ceremony." She watched the two boy quickly run off so not to get into trouble, her eyes turned to the door of the Academy that Kagome had already entered through. "Shikaku, you should talk to Kagome about that. The boy's mother would have every right to consider that a threat."

Shikaku nodded, "for good reason, too." He smirked, "...that was a threat."

Yoshino frowned, _'no...that wasn't a threat...that was a promise...'_

 **-x-x-x-**

 **Me: Hope you all enjoy this chapter! I know it's been a while since I updated! Okay...so it's only been three days! I got through with my MEPS and I do have to go back on the eleventh and twelfth but I passed my physical and my personality test! I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH! Thank you for the support and everything! Please review, and let me know what you think of the story and this chapter, I'll post a new chapter tonight when I get home, but I'll be out for most of the day since my sister wants to spend the day with me before I have to ship out. Love, love! Let's see if I can finish this story for you guys!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Lean on Me...**

 **Summary: She was found at such a young age, taken in by Shikaku, not as a daughter, but as a wife in training for his youngest son. How will this affect the Nara Clan...more specifically the laid back, easy going, semi-lazy...Shikamaru?**

 **Anime: InuYasha/Naruto**

 **Pairing: Shikamaru/Kagome**

 **Genre: Romance/Comfort/Hurt**

 **Rated: M for Mature**

 **-x-x-x-**

Kagome entered the classroom of the intermediate students, looking around, she found that Neji was already seated, and in the seat beside him, he had his bag. _'Ha...he saved me a spot!'_ She grinned, making her way towards her place beside him, he didn't even seem to notice her as she picked up his bag and sat down next to him. "Neji?" Silence met her call of his name, and she nudged him slightly before calling out his name again. This time, he responded by lifting his eyes to his after school sparring partner.

"Sorry, I was distracted." He glanced down a few seats over, his eyes lingering on a girl with her brown hair pulled up into twin buns. He wasn't smiling, or really in a daze...rather, his eyes were narrowed on the girl. Finally, he turned away from her and closed his eyes before releasing a calm breath and giving Kagome a strained smile. "I forgot to tell you, Happy Birthday. It was a couple days ago, but I wanted to say it."

"...thank you." Smiling, she tilted her head a bit, uncertain of the change in her friends' eyes.

"What did you and Shikamaru do?"

Grinning as she remembered a few days ago, "we didn't celebrate until later into the evening."

"When it was already raining, you mean?"

Nodding, Kagome laughed, "yeah, funnily enough, he wasn't going to our birthday with me because he was under the impression that I was going to spend the day sparring with you."

"Hm..." a smirk found its way to his lips as he recalled the boy with the spiked ponytail heading off to find Kagome. "So you spent your birthday inside? That doesn't sound very fun."

"You're right!" She pulled her bag from her shoulder and placed it on the back of her chair, "and had we spent all day inside, I'd have to agree that it wasn't very fun. However, I had been outside the entire time it was raining, that was how Shikamaru found me. Lying on the grass in the rain. He bought me a glass Iris, and he said that the meaning of the flower...was..."a promise kept". After that, we stayed outside in the rain until Shikaku and Yoshino called us in. After which, we ate dinner, enjoyed the birthday cake that Yoshino made, and then pretended to go to bed only to sneak out and play some more in the rain. Around twelve, Yoshino and Shikaku woke up and found us out of bed, she flipped out, but we didn't really care. The next morning we were both sick, and stayed in bed for the next three days getting better...all in all...it was a pretty good birthday." She laughed at the look of astonishment on Neji's face. "Don't be too shocked, we are kids...it's not like Shikamaru and I can plan a full day of events. It was fun though...perfectly so."

"I suppose...as long as you enjoyed it, nothing else really matters." He looked down at his school work and sighed. The sound of the door opening and the rest of the class walking in caused Neji and Kagome to both turn their attention to the students walking in. "That's right, we get a new teacher, don't we."

"...his name is _Genma_ _Shiranui_." Kagome said as she looked down at her new schedule, the name of her teacher at the top of the page. "Wonder what he's like. Do you think he's anything like Iruka-Sensei? Ooh! Or maybe he'll be like Itachi-Sensei!"

"I'm hardly comparable to Itachi Uchiha."

Kagome jumped and turned to see a young man walk in with his hitai-ate was wrapped around his head like a bandana, a senbon could be seen sticking out between his lips, and if she knew her ranks the way she knew she did, by the vest he wore, he was a Jounin. "...you're our new sensei?"

"That's what people keep telling me," _Genma_ walked to the front of the class and lifted a sheet of paper from the desk. "Everyone take a seat. I'll give the students tha haven't made it yet another five minutes then take rollcall."

"Sensei?" Kagome called.

"...yes Miss...?"

"Kagome,"

Genma looked down at the paper in his hand and frowned, "I remember you...do you have a last name, Kagome? I don't see one on my list."

"I don't have a last name to go by, it's just Kagome."

Glancing her way, his frown stayed in place on his lips, a few students who Kagome didn't know, turned curious eyes on to her. _'So even though she's staying with the Nara's, she hasn't taken their last name?'_ He sighed, "What was it that you wanted?"

Smiling, Kagome placed her hands on the desk in front of her as she fiddled with her fingers, "you are a Jounin, yes?"

Raising a brow, Genma answered her with a nod. "I am, why do you ask?"

"Well," Kagome smiled, "not that I have a problem with it, I'm merely curious, but...all of the Academy teachers are Chuunin Ranked Shinobi. Suzume-Sensei, Mizuki-Sensei, Iruka-Sensei...just to name a few. I'm just wondering why a Jounin ranked Shinobi is teaching students, rather than taking missions."

The class was silent for a good while. Genma looked at the girl with a smirk playing on his lips before finally giving in to a small chuckle and placing the list of names down on his new desk. He leaned back against the wall behind him and crossed his arms. "I'm not here to teach the intermediate class. I'm going to teach the advanced class...I'm only here to weed through the students to see which ones will not be staying behind, but will be moving on. Still, normally Chuunin's teach as Academy Teachers...I however am on leave from my obligation as a Shinobi, only until a new teacher can be found. We are already looking into one such candidate. You mentioned him by name earlier, actually."

"Itachi-Sensei!?" Kagome stood suddenly, "Sarutobi-San is considering Itachi-Sensei as a new teacher at the Academy?"

"Considering, yes...but don't get ahead of yourself, he may say 'no'. So far, he's only agreed to teach one person, and that's you. Now, sit down, and we will continue with rollcall, those not present have had plenty of time to show up."

Kagome nodded, satisfied with the answer given, she sat back down and found herself feeling giddy. This feeling stayed with her for the rest of the day.

 **-x-x-x-**

"Kagome, are you doing anything right now?"

"Not really," Kagome said as she and Neji put their things in their bags. They were getting ready to leave Genma's class, most would be heading home, others taking off to play. Kagome smiled at their new teacher when he glanced in hers' and Neji's direction. He gave a small incline of his head before leaving out the door.

"I was going to train some, would you like to join me? I can walk you home afterwards..."

Kagome looked up and noted that Neji was speaking with a relaxed tenor as he finished placing his pencils and paper in his bag. "That sounds fine, I will have to stop by Shikamaru and Chouji's class first, so that they know."

"Does it matter if they don't?"

"No, not really. I just told them I'd meet them after classes, it wouldn't be right if I left and didn't tell him anything."

He nodded, pulling the strap of his bag over his shoulders as he did. "Then, I will meet you by the swing set out front."

Kagome replied with a smile before she watched Neji leave through the classroom door.

 **-x-x-x-**

 **Me: Heading to work in a few minutes, I had to call my typing off so I could get dressed, lol. I'll post again soon, for now, I hope you all enjoy Chapter 13!**


	14. Chapter 14

**Lean on Me...**

 **Summary: She was found at such a young age, taken in by Shikaku, not as a daughter, but as a wife in training for his youngest son. How will this affect the Nara Clan...more specifically the laid back, easy going, semi-lazy...Shikamaru?**

 **Anime: InuYasha/Naruto**

 **Pairing: Shikamaru/Kagome**

 **Genre: Romance/Comfort/Hurt**

 **Rated: M for Mature**

 **-x-x-x-**

"That's fine..." the ever so lazy reply from Shikamaru set Kagome's blood a boil. Frown forming on her lips at his uncaring words.

Looking down at her feet in though, she sighed before shrugging her shoulders. "You don't really care about what I do, do you." This was not a question. Turning her back to Shikamaru, she made her way outside the Academy towards the swing where Neji said he'd wait for her.

Chouji who had been silently eating his chips while watching the uneasy exchange between Kagome and Shikamaru, looked uncertainly after Kagome before turning his eyes curiously to Shikamaru who was knocking the tip of his shoe against the ground in irritation. "Should you go after her?"

Shikamaru shook his head, _"troublesome..."_ he muttered under his breath before following after Kagome down the hall, intent on apologizing. For what? He wasn't entirely sure, but he was still going to apologize, because something he'd said, had obviously upset her.

 **-x-x-x-**

"Neji " Kagome forced a smile, still peeved at the lack of caring Shikamaru continued to demonstrate with her. Unlike Neji, he never asked her to train with him, he trained with his father alone, and never bothered with her. Neji on the other hand, he asked her all the time to train. He enjoyed sparring with her, and he proved to be a challenge as well to her.

""Did you find Nara?"

Kagome's forced smile disappeared and formed quickly into a frown, "let's not talk about him. Come on. I'm ready to train now."

Smirking at the annoyance that could be heard in her voice, Neji led the way to the Hyuuga Compound.

"Aren't we going to the training grounds like normal?"

"No, not today. I figured we could just use the Hyuuga grounds. My Uncle shouldn't have a problem with it."

"...I'm not so sure, Neji..." Kagome shuffled one of her feet a bit, digging the tip into the dirt as she paused in her step. "I met your Uncle last year, he didn't seem too keep in my training with you. If you don't recall, he called me weak and mentioned that I was a waste of your time. I understand if you ignore him, but taking me to the compound...?"

"Don't worry so much, Kagome...I'm sure he'll be fine with it."

"If you say so..." Kagome didn't sound so sure, but she followed all the same. For all she knew, Hiashi Hyuuga, the Hyuuga clan head, had changed his tune and was no longer _Anti-Kagome_. _'Highly doubtful though...'_

 **-x-x-x-**

Shikamaru looked around the empty training grounds, he'd searched four of them now, but had failed to locate Kagome. "Where the heck did she go?!" He scoffed, "I didn't realize that she and Neji had a secret training spot, maybe I should have at least asked where they were going to be training." Looking around once more, he pocketed his hands before he walked off. "Whatever, I'm going home."

"SHIKAMARU!"

Shikamaru turned to see Chouji walking over towards him with a familiar blonde at his side. "Chouji, who is this?"

"Oh, he's in our class. This is Naruto Uzumaki...uh, he was wandering around and looked bored, so I asked if he wanted to hang out with us. I figured I'd find you on a training ground since you were looking for Kagome...any luck?"

"...none."

Naruto blinked in confusion, "that girl that was with you this morning?"

Turning their attention to Naruto, both Shikamaru and Chouji nodded.

"Oh, I know where she went! I saw her a little bit ago...walking towards that Hinata girls house."

"You mean the Hyuuga estate?"

Naruto shrugged, "I guess. She looked worried about something though."

Shikamaru gritted his teeth in annoyance, finally taking off in a run, he yelled back over his shoulders, "I'll catch the two of you tomorrow! I have something I need to take care of!"

 **-x-x-x-**

' _I knew this was a bad idea...'_ Kagome forced herself not to look away from the cold eyes that stared down at her. Hiashi stood there just judging her. This scared her, and it wasn't because she was worried he wouldn't approve of her, or because he would call her weak or some nonsense like that. No, she was scared because she honestly figured that something Hiashi said might actually influence Neji's opinion of her. She straightened her shoulders and hardened her eyes on the man. Her hand subconsciously resting on the jewel around her neck as she did.

"...she is not welcomed on this property, Neji. Why have you brought this weak child to the Hyuuga compound?"

Neji frowned, "she isn't weak, Uncle. She is far stronger than you give her credit for. We've been training together for a year now, and before that she was trained by the Uchiha prodigy. Far be it for us to call her weak."

"You are wasting your time training with this child, you have responsibilities to uphold, which means there is no time for you to be wasting on this little girl. Am I understood?"

"I fail to see how-"

"Am I understood...Neji!"

Kagome jumped, "sir, please bare your anger on me, not Neji. He has trained with me, true...but if only to ease the strain I've put on you and your nephew, I will cease coming to him. I meant no ill will, to you or your family." Kagome bowed respectfully. She knew how to deal with these types, Shikaku taught her how to speak to people such as this. However, she honestly would stop training with Neji if it was causing this much drama in his household.

"No, Kagome..." Neji cut his Uncle off, stepping in front of him and blocking Kagome's view of the older man. "Don't pay my Uncle any mind. He holds nothing over you, any punishment he wishes to hand out to me, I'll take...and I will continue to train with you! Whether it's here or elsewhere, it doesn't matter to me!" He glared coldly at his Uncle and then taking Kagome's hand in his, he pulled her towards the entrance to the estate.

A loud commotion came from up ahead as they grew closer to the entrance. Both slowed to a stop, not listening to the enraged yells of Hiashi, rather...watching the curious scolding of one of the other Hyuuga's, watching as they scolded none other than Shikamaru.

" _Listen! I don't care about being on this property, I'm here for Kagome!"_

Kagome's eyes widened, "...he's here for me?"

" _I don't know who you are speaking of! There is no Kagome here, and you are not permitted on the property to seek her out!"_

" _Say what you will, but she's in there with that Neji kid!"_

" _Neji Hyuuga is most likely training, far too busy to be bothered with a little girl."_

"Hey!" Kagome snapped, causing both the Hyuuga in front of her, and Shikamaru who was out of her sight due to the gate, to jump at the firmness in her voice. Neji let go of her hand as she walked forward and leveled the Hyuuga with a hard glare, "my name is Kagome, I am Neji's sparring partner, and the Wife-to-be of Shikamaru Nara...the guy you are yelling at! While he may not be allowed on the estate grounds, I _am_ on the grounds, and will say this...I am _not_ some 'little girl'!" She turned back around, turning her glare back on Hiashi and a few other Hyuuga's who were giving her a dirty look. "I'm tired of the way you people treat me! I will continue to train with Neji! I will get stronger, and I will surpass the Hyuuga clan, so that none of you can call me weak ever again!" She turned so quickly, her hair lifted with a flare as she left the estate, her hand reaching out for Shikamaru's as she walked by him, pulling him along the way.

 **-x-x-x-**

The sun was slowly dipping below the trees of the village, the colors in the sky dancing and mingling with one another, shades of orange, red and purple were gentle pulling and pushing at one another are the night grew closer, and the temperature began to drop. Kagome remained silent throughout their walk back to the Nara estate. However, Kagome had paused so that she and Shikamaru were standing right by the fence of the Meadow. One of the doe's had wandered nearby the fence, grazing at the grass as she roamed around, the fawns and buck nowhere to be seen, though, the two knew that meant very little. "...he's not too far." Kagome said softly as she watched over the doe.

Shikamaru glanced towards her out the side of his eyes, "no, he's not. He will always be near enough to watch over her...even if she can't see him...he's there."

Kagome smiled, tightening her hand as she held his, a warm feeling inside her formed when she felt him return the gesture.

Everything was good...even if she had just yelled at the Hyuuga's head of the Main Branch…everything was good. She had faith that things would all work out.

 **-x-x-x-**

 **Me: Here is chapter fourteen, I hope you are all still following the story well enough! It's about to pick up speed in the next two or three chapters, meaning another time skip will be coming up soon too. Tell me what you think, and I'll get a new chapter up soon!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Lean on Me...**

 **Summary: She was found at such a young age, taken in by Shikaku, not as a daughter, but as a wife in training for his youngest son. How will this affect the Nara Clan...more specifically the laid back, easy going, semi-lazy...Shikamaru?**

 **Anime: InuYasha/Naruto**

 **Pairing: Shikamaru/Kagome**

 **Genre: Romance/Comfort/Hurt**

 **Rated: M for Mature**

 **-x-x-x-**

 **(Four Months Later)**

 _Everything was_ ** _not_** _good...as fate would have it, three months after Kagome's confrontation with the Hyuuga's head Hiashi, a different confrontation took place. Kagome had been out late...her memories were, while jumbled up a bit...stained red..._

 ** _-x-x-x-_**

 ** _Flashback_**

 ** _One Month Ago_**

 ** _-x-x-x-_**

 ** _Night was all around Kagome, and more than the darkness...more than the shadows...there was silence. It was heavy on the air, almost asphyxiating as she gave a weary glance to her surroundings. When she was sure nothing was wrong, she turned to head back to the Nara compound only to turn straight into another person. "Ah! Itachi-Sensei!"_**

 ** _Itachi kneeled down in front of her, pulling her in for a hug, taking her completely off guard as he did._**

" ** _...Itachi-Sensei?"_**

 ** _There were no words that could prepare her for what he was about to say, and for what she would later see._**

" ** _Thank you..."_**

" ** _...wha-"_**

 ** _Itachi cut her off, "for what you will do, thank you."_**

" ** _For what I will do? What am I going to do?"_**

" ** _You said once before...that you wanted to take with you everything I could teach you...I have one last thing..."_**

 ** _Kagome frowned, her heart pulling strings she didn't know she had, "..."_**

" ** _Kagome, protect the people who are important to you, no matter what the costs may be. I am leaving tonight, you may possibly never see me again...whatever you hear after tonight, I want you to know and understand this...I love my brother, and I love my village...I also have grown very fond of you...for that reason, I have chosen this path." He leaned forward and pressed his lips to her forehead._**

 ** _Kagome's eyes shut and for a few seconds all was quiet, when she opened her eyes, he was gone. Her first thought was maybe it was a prank, Genjutsu or something...however, the lingering warmth on her forehead quickly diminished that thought. She started running, she wasn't sure why, but everything inside of her, every bone in her body, ever cell in her blood, every ounce of Chakra that rushed through her veins...pushed her to run as fast as she could...until she arrived at the Uchiha District._**

 ** _She walked the quiet street slowly, and as she turned the corner...she froze. Her whole bod stopped working. Flashes of her mother and father appeared in front of her, and on impulse...she screamed._**

 ** _She knew someone must have heard her. Walking forward, she picked up her pace, running now, passing one lifeless body after another. She stopped when she saw the familiar body of Sasuke Uchiha. He wasn't moving either._**

" _I want you to know and understand this...I love my brother..."_

 ** _Itachi's voice echoed in her head, her body pushed her forward until she stood beside Sasuke. She dropped to her knees and placed a hand to his chest, a rush of relief passed through her as she felt the rise and fall of his chest, and the steady beating of his heart. "Sasuke!" She called, "Sasuke, wake up!"_**

" ** _Kagome!"_**

 ** _She turned, her eyes landing on Genma, his eyes wide in shock as he ran to her side. "S-Sasuke isn't waking up! He's alive, I felt his heart beating, he's still breathing, Genma-Sensei!"_**

 ** _Genma put a hand on Kagome's shoulder, checking Sasuke's vitals as well before giving a quick glance around them. "Who did this? Do you know?" He questioned Kagome as more Shinobi started showing up. Soon, it was no longer just Kagome and Genma with Sasuke. Soon, Kagome was surrounded by four men with masks on, Shikaku was making his way towards them as Genma helped her stand. Shikaku was on a knee the second he saw Kagome, his arms held out for her. Kagome ran forward and wrapped her arms around Shikaku's shoulders. "Shikaku! It was...he came to me, and..." Kagome shook her head, she wasn't even aware of the tears streaming down her face._**

" ** _Who, tell me who."_**

 ** _Kagome shook her head harder, "...no...no..."_**

" ** _Kagome!"_**

 ** _She went stock still in his arms, even as he lifted her up and held her close. "...it was...Itachi-Sensei..."_**

 ** _-x-x-x-_**

 ** _End-Flashback_**

 ** _-x-x-x-_**

 _It didn't help when she was pulled into questioning a few hours later, she was being mentally infiltrated by Inoichi. He had been ordered to stroll through her memories once more, similarly to how he'd done so before. When he'd finished with her, he had sent her on her way and stayed behind to organize the information he'd pulled from her, writing down his report to take to the third Hokage. She had been called into question. She was only six years old, and despite her age, she was under suspicion of having knowledge of Itachi's treachery. She didn't...but no one cared about her age. As a Ninja, even one in training, she was...in their opinion...capable of treason._

 _Though, she herself was finding it difficult to turn her back on Itachi. She couldn't see him in the light of a murderer...massacring his entire clan seemed...farfetched. Yet, she knew it was him...she knew, because he'd told her as much when he'd come to her that night. Her question...was 'why'._

"Kagome,"

Blue eyes opened as she turned to see who was calling her name. It was Genma, she was in the Advanced Class, and it was empty...no one was there. "Genma-Sensei..."

"Are you feeling okay?"

"...I don't know...I feel confused, and something else."

Genma walked over to Kagome and sat down on the desk in front of hers, "what's on your mind, Kagome?"

She shook her head, "Itachi-Sensei...when he came to me, when he spoke to me, it was to tell me how much he loved his brother, how much he loved his village, and how fond he'd grown of me. I don't understand, why did he massacre his clan?"

Genma stared at Kagome for a few seconds before bringing a knee up, his foot resting on the surface of the desk. "I don't know what to make of it either, Kagome...something inside him must have snapped, that he did something like this...it's over my head..."

"...I don't think he snapped...I think he was pushed." Kagome looked down at her hands, "when people say things about my friends, things that hurt their feelings, I get upset. Maybe someone said something, or maybe they were going to do something, and this was his only way to protect the important people in his life."

Genma was silent, he was thinking over her words, unsure of what to make of them himself, he just sat silently in front of her. He looked curiously to her hand, her fingers were playing with the jewel around her neck, twirling it, catching it, fiddling with it. "Kago-"

"Skill, Ability, Greatness..." Kagome interrupted Genma with a small, gentle smile. "Itachi-Sensei said that...these things are not determined by your name, but by your actions...I believe in Itachi-Sensei. I want to believe in him, so I will. I believe that what he did...was to protect precious people...and this village...and that perhaps it was far more good than it was evil."

Shaking his head, Genma got off the desk and placed a hand on Kagome's shoulder, "don't let yourself become blinded by what you want to _be_ , and ignorant to what _is_. Itachi murdered his clan, they are all dead, Kagome. There is no virtue in this, nothing noble to be spoken of. Don't forget that..."

"..." Kagome watched Genma turn and start walking away from her, she smiled sadly and spoke up, loud enough for him to hear her from across the room, "...you're wrong, Sensei. Itachi...he didn't kill everybody. Sasuke is still alive...and so am I..."

 **-x-x-x-**

 **Me: Here is chapter fifteen! I hope you all enjoy this chapter, I'm going swimming, I'll be back soon and update another chapter~! Love you guys!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Lean on Me...**

 **Summary: She was found at such a young age, taken in by Shikaku, not as a daughter, but as a wife in training for his youngest son. How will this affect the Nara Clan...more specifically the laid back, easy going, semi-lazy...Shikamaru?**

 **Anime: InuYasha/Naruto**

 **Pairing: Shikamaru/Kagome**

 **Genre: Romance/Comfort/Hurt**

 **Rated: M for Mature**

 **-x-x-x-**

' _Thirteen years old, and wanted for the massacre of his family, with only the sole survivor being his younger brother...who refuses to talk to anyone...'_ Kagome sighed, her head still in the clouds as far as anyone was concerned. She was cleared of suspicion, though Genma had sent her to a shrink for _other_ reasons. He told her that she was going to be evaluated mentally, and hopefully things would go well afterwards. The shrink? He said she was fine, told Genma not to worry, explained even that it was normal for a student to find light in her Sensei, even when in the darkest moments of their life. He merely told Genma to keep his eyes on her, and watch over her. Watch over her he did...

Kagome stepped out of her class and yawned, tossing her bag over her shoulder, she stepped out of the way of the rest of the advanced students. She missed Neji, and she missed Shikamaru, but lately, she didn't see much of either of them. Neji was under strict instructions, constantly being watched by other Hyuuga members. Shikamaru on the other hand, he was just out of class before she got to him, and out of school before she could find him. It felt like he was avoiding her, for whatever reason.

Glancing down the hall at the many students filing out of their classes, she noted a head of shocking blonde ducking out of a crowd and walking slowly out of the building. Not too far behind was a familiar raven haired Uchiha. The very Uchiha who continued to act as if she didn't exist.

 ** _-x-x-x-_**

 ** _FLASHBACK_**

 ** _-x-x-x-_**

" _Sasuke!" Kagome yelled out to the seven year old boy who was slowly walking down the streets of Konoha, no doubt taking his time heading back to the Uchiha district. Abandoned and stained with blood, the first month after the massacre, he wasn't even allowed to go home, he cried for the whole month, and then...he went silent. He stopped crying, he stopped smiling well before that...Kagome knew who took that smile, and yet, she still couldn't bring herself to turn her back on Itachi. She couldn't say what it was that kept her holding on. Naivety? Foolishness? Confidence? Hope...? Whatever it was, she continued to trust her Sensei, and she would keep on trusting him. "Sasuke!" She called out again, this time watching as he stopped and turned slowly to face her._

" _What do you want?"_

 _Kagome could feel the coldness wafting off of the slightly older boy in front of her, coming to a stop only a few feet before him. "...I wanted to make sure that you were okay. I haven't seen you since I found you...and I was worried..." She looked uncomfortably at him, not sure what else she could or should say._

" _Don't waste your time worrying over me." Sasuke frowned, a glare firmly placed in his eyes, "it's not like we're family...you mean nothing to me...and vice versa."_

 _Kagome stared in surprise at Sasuke, "that's not true...that's not true at all, Sasuke! Itachi was very important to me, and as his brother, so are you...you have no idea how hard this is for me too! No, I'm not your sister or any other type of family to you...so it wasn't like he killed anyone that was close to me...but he was my Sensei, and doing this..." Kagome shook her head, "everyone keeps on telling me that he's a monster, that he is a traitor...that I should just give up on him..." shaking, she looked down at her hands as tears swelled up in her eyes, "...Sasuke, have you already given up on your brother? Have you lost faith in him?!" Her fists were clenched tightly at her side, "I WON'T GIVE UP ON HIM!"_

 _Kagome's eyes widened as a fist met her cheek, throwing her backwards as she fell against the ground from the force of the punch. She stared up at Sasuke, her hand rising to meet the forming bruise on her cheek._

" _...don't talk to me about Itachi...you don't know anything about him! You were his student for three months...THREE MONTHS! I'm his brother...I've known him for way longer...despite that...despite all of that...he's never once treated me the way he did you!" Sasuke closed his eyes tightly, his whole body shaking in his anger, "As far as I'm concerned, he gave up on me! He never believed in me...not like he did you..."_

" _What are you talking about!?" Kagome screamed, "Itachi loved you! HE STILL DOES!" Kagome lunged forward, tackling him to the dirt road as she punched him back. His head snapping to the left as her fist connected with his cheek. "Have you honestly forgotten already that you are still alive?!" She brought both her hands to his shirt and fisted them at the collar, "He wouldn't have let you live if he didn't love you!" She pulled at his collar before slamming him back into the ground, "For whatever reason, he killed his family...that's true, and I don't know why he did it! What I do know, is he couldn't bring himself to kill you! HE COULDN'T LET YOU DIE!"_

" _Kagome! Sasuke!"_

 _The two kids stopped what they were doing, both turning heated stares towards a group of kids running towards them. Sasuke reacted first, kicking Kagome off of him, the small girl was knocked backwards against the body of another person. Arms coming up around her to catch her only to fall backwards too. Sasuke stood up and ran away from the kids, Kagome could only watch him grow further away before another hand pulled her up. Looking to see who had grabbed hold of her wrist, she stared into Naruto's eyes, looking to see who caught her, she saw another boy, with red fang like marks running down his cheeks. "...thanks..."_

" _...what was all of that about?"_

" _Nothing..." Kagome sighed, bringing a hand up to wipe some dirt from her face, she grimaced at the shock of pain that tingled in her cheek._

" _What a pain, I can't believe you started a fight with Sasuke,"_

 _The familiar voice of Shikamaru had Kagome looking back over her shoulder, only to watch him turn and walk away._

' _Why bother running over here to check on me...if all you're going to do is scold me?'_

" _Just ignore him, Kagome. Are you okay?"_

 _Smiling at Naruto, she nodded, "yeah...I'm fine..."_

 ** _-x-x-x-_**

 ** _END-FLASHBACK_**

 ** _-x-x-x-_**

But she wasn't, not really, at least. Shaking her head, she took off in a run, making her way out of the academy and towards an empty training ground, she took up a sparring stance and quickly began executing familiar blows and attacks that were taught to her by none other than Itachi. She would continue her practices, she would continue to learn, and she would become someone who was strong enough to fight for the people she believed in.

"Hold on, Itachi-Sensei...just wait..." She jumped and kicked, spinning and kicking again before preforming a flip axe kick. "I'll be just as strong as you...and I'll prove to this village, and the people you care for...that you aren't a bad person!"

Her eyes were so focused on the black circles on the trees as she twisted and sent kunai and shuriken flying at them, that she never once noticed the blue eyes watching her from the shadows. Never noticing how her words would reflect the young boy in the bushes.

 **-x-x-x-**

 **(FIVE YEARS LATER)**

Glancing sideways, Kagome's blue eyes landed on Shikaku before moving across the table to Genma. They were sitting in the dojo in the Nara compound, no one was talking. At least, not about anything interesting. Not as far as she was concerned. It had been five years since she'd spoken Itachi's name...since she'd talked to Sasuke, five years since Neji had sparred with her...five years since she and Shikamaru had _celebrated_ their birthday together. Hell, she rarely saw him at all, most of the time, he was training with his dad, or goofing off with his _friends_. Kiba, Naruto, Shino, Chouji...the boys would all goof off together...though, Sasuke kept to himself...Naruto always seemed to be the ringleader in their little group, and while he had no problem striking up a conversation with Kagome, they were rare, few and in-between.

"Kagome has advanced far more quickly than we had anticipated, originally, we talked to Kagome about her graduating earlier on, but she'd insisted that there was still more that she could learn." Genma said, his eyes resting on Kagome before returning to Shikaku, "she has taken the required Kunoichi classes, as far as her age group goes...and she has held her place as the top student at the academy, since she first started. She would be graduating with the rest of the students, your son included..."

"I honestly expected her to graduate much earlier."

Genma shook his head, "she was, in my opinion, ready to graduate four years ago. It's true she was only seven, but she was ready to move on...she however disagreed and refused to consider it an option at all."

Shikaku took a moment to look at Kagome, her eyes on a forgotten Shogi board in the corner of the room. "I see, and what has she been doing during the last four years?"

"She's taken part in multiple classes, normally they are specialized classes, options for students to take to better themselves in certain areas. After speaking with Kagome, she requested I let her skip the advanced classes and substitute them with the specialized classes. A few such classes being Selective Weapons Training and Taijutsu, along with Curative Understanding, along with Strategy and Stealth. These are only a few of the classes she chose to participate in."

Shikaku considered this, and took it all into deliberation as he closed his eyes in thought. Finally, he opened his eyes and spoke out to no one in particular, knowing he'd receive an answer without specifying who he was speaking to. "The number of students graduating..."

Kagome glanced to Shikaku, "twenty-seven, and if you include myself...twenty-eight."

"Groups are made in sets of three, only nine will actually pass after becoming Genin, so answer me this...what will happen to Kagome, if the twenty-seven are divided into groups of three...she's the odd one out."

"Kagome has been placed on a team with myself and Hayate...under the command of the Third Hokage. That is until better accommodations can be made."

"She's placed on the team of two Tokubetsu Jounin Shinobi?"

"For many reasons, the only one that really matters is that the Hokage has picked this line up. She won't have to worry about being sent back to the Academy, she has shined brightly before the Third, and he has great expectations for her and the future of this village."

Shikaku frowned, "what does that mean?"

Genma shrugged, "I'm only repeating what I was told. Any further questioning can be done with the Hokage. I have told you all that I know. I was really only sent her to let you know of what was happening."

"...very well, as I stated before...what she does is of no consequence to me. Asking for my permission...there is no point, and the Hokage knows as much. I will grant her the shelter of my home, food for sustenance, and the safety of this property...but...it's not my responsibility to tell her yes or no. I said as much when she started at the academy, her lessons, her schooling, what she chooses to do with it, is all up to her."

"Are you seriously telling me that you don't care about what happens to her?!" Genma yelled, becoming increasingly frustrated with the head of the Nara clan.

Kagome placed her hand gently on the wood table between the two men, "...Shikaku-Sama stated as much, on my first day at the academy. As he said...I decided on a path to take. The path I chose was one to protect this village, its Hokage, and the villagers." Kagome made sure Genma was still listening, content with the look of approval in Shikaku's eyes, she continued, "what I do from here on out, is not only for this village, but for myself, and for Shikamaru. My role as Shikamaru's future wife will be determined by the choices I make...from this moment on. Genma-Sensei, this life is mine, and these choices are mine...please consider this when speaking to Shikaku-Sama."

"...right..." Genma sighed, "It's as you say. Anyways, Kagome will be placed on my team, and then where it goes from there is up to the Hokage, or...more specifically...Kagome."

Shikaku nodded, "understood, then I thank you for taking care of Kagome in the Academy, and hope she causes you and your teammate no problems in the future."

Genma nodded before standing up, bowing, he left the Nara household, no longer able to stand the presence of Shikaku Nara.

Shikaku placed a hand on Kagome's shoulder, giving her a gentle squeeze before standing and leaving as well. A small smile gracing her lips at the little gesture of acknowledgement.

 **-x-x-x-**

 **Me: Here is chapter sixteen. I was on the fence about this chapter, I couldn't linger too long in the younger years, and sadly, we needed to move on, so now...the story begins. Since this is not a Naruto centric fic, it will only** ** _vaguely_** **touch base with what's going on in the village, with the exception of the Chuunin Exams. I hope you all enjoy this chapter...and sorry, I meant to update after swimming, but...damn its hot and I feel like the sun is sucking up my energy! ...tell me what you think about the story thus far, and this chapter, nyan~!**


	17. Chapter 17

**Lean on Me...**

 **Summary: She was found at such a young age, taken in by Shikaku, not as a daughter, but as a wife in training for his youngest son. How will this affect the Nara Clan...more specifically the laid back, easy going, semi-lazy...Shikamaru?**

 **Anime: InuYasha/Naruto**

 **Pairing: Shikamaru/Kagome**

 **Genre: Romance/Comfort/Hurt**

 **Rated: M for Mature**

 **-x-x-x-**

 **(One Month Later)**

The temperature was dropping as night fell over Konoha, the chill was clearly made known to the villagers as they were making their way home after a long day of working or learning. A cold drizzle had set over the village, causing shudders to crawl across exposed flesh.

"AH!" The whistle of a kunai slicing through the air as a lithe figure twisted in the air could be heard in the empty surroundings of the forest. Flipping backwards, black hair was pulled into a tight twist, bangs were brushed out of the way of blue eyes, bouncing with each movement. Surging forward, sprinting up along a tree, feet held against the trunk of tree before kicking off and preparing for the ground below.

"Kagome," Genma walked into the clearing, turning his eyes to the girl who'd just touched her feet to the ground, the hitai-ate that was bent in a way that allowed it to shape to her calve, was tied just beneath the bend of her right knee, catching his eyes as a light drizzle turned into a heavy rain shower, the water of which was clinking hard against the steel _head protector_. "That will do you a lot of good when a kunai is aimed for your head."

Kagome raised a brow and tapped her forehead, "your one to talk."

Another man walked out from behind a tree, " _Ekhm..._ we have a mission _ekhm_ , you should prepare yourself." A fist was lightly brushing against the lips of Hayate as he coughed against his hand.

"Have we received a mission scroll?"

Genma pulled a scroll from the side pocket of his cargo shinobi pants, "here..." he tossed it in her direction, "open it when you get home, that way it doesn't get soaked, we leave in three hours. We will meet at the front gate. Don't be late."

Kagome nodded, then, pocketing the scroll, she returned back to her training. Walking to the trees surrounding her as she pulled from them her weapons and returned them to her weapons pouch neatly. "Genma, do you know how Naruto and his team are doing?" She hadn't really gotten the chance to see the blonde since she graduated, and wondered if he'd passed his bell test or not. She hadn't had to do the test herself, but Hayate had explained to her that out of the twenty-seven students...out of the nine teams made, only three teams would go on to be Genin, the rest would return to the Academy, and try again later.

"Naruto and his team are currently on a mission to the Land of Waves, and escort, if I'm correct."

"To the Land of Waves?" Kagome smiled, "so, he passed then. I'm happy to hear that. Who is his Sensei?"

" _ekhm ekhm..._ Kakashi Hatake," Hayate answered, looking curiously at the training ground before settling his eyes onto Kagome, "it's cold out, Kagome... _ekhm_...go home..."

Genma nodded, "Hayate is right, go home, dry off, and change...we will see you in three hours."

Sighing, Kagome nodded, "alright, but one more question...about Shikamaru and Neji this time...Neji actually graduated a year before me, I know he passed, with flying colors at that, how is his team progressing?"

"I don't see much of Gai's team, they are out on a B rank mission..." Genma answered.

"Shikamaru then?"

"Asuma's squad is still in Konoha, so why not ask him?"

Kagome shuffled her feet irritably, glaring pathetically at the ground before looking up into Genma's eye, a curious look on his face. "I haven't seen him...since I was put on your team. He...he's ignoring me, I think."

"Why?"

Kagome shrugged, "I don't know, I just know that when I get home early, he's either out training, or if he's there, he leaves to go to bed early. If I wake up, he's out the door first, and if I try to find him, he's out training or on a mission. I can't catch him when I'm home, I can't find him when I'm not, and if he's on a mission, it's usually a four day mission to a weeklong mission...what do I do?"

Genma exchanged a look with Hayate, who gave a slight cough before shrugging. Sighing, Genma glanced back at Kagome, "all I can say, is try to catch him before we leave, and talk with him if you have the opportunity."

Kagome nodded and left the two standing in the clearing she used as a training ground, their clothes completely soaked through from the rain.

Genma looked up at the sky, "I hope the rain settles soon, I hate running through mud."

" _Ekhm, ekhm..."_

 **-x-x-x-**

Kagome made it home, pulling her hair from the tight twist and letting it fall over her shoulders and cascade down her back. She slipped her sandals off and placed them on the chair in front of her desk. Next to the desk was a floor lamp that lip up the few books that were piled messily on the surface of the desk, beside the books was a stack of paper she'd written notes on, pencils lying carelessly next to the stack. Nearest to her bed, a pile of weapons were leaning against the wall in the corner. A mix of blades such as _D_ _ouble Bladed Kunai_ , and _Kusarigama's, Katana's_ and a _Tanto_ blade, as well as four _Kama's_. Besides her bladed weapons, she had boxes of _Shuriken,_ different blades and shapes, _Senbon_ , and a _Bo Staff_ that was leaning against her bed post. A second Tanto was hidden discreetly beneath her pillow, and on the side table next to her bed was box of sharpened Kunai's with the normal ring grips, instead of her favored double blade Kunai's with the middle grip between the blades.

' _I'll pack after a quick shower, I need to brush my hair anyways...it smells sweaty...'_ Kagome cringed before grabbing a change of clothes and disappearing into the shower down the hall between her room and Shikamaru's.

Her shower took only half an hour, taking some time to clean her hair and wash off the dirt and rain from her body, she sighed once she was completely dressed in her Kunoichi clothes, bindings were done up around her chest to her abdomen, a few inches of her belly could be seen, just below her bellybutton, more wraps started before wrapping down and around her thighs. She pulled on a dark blue sleeveless top, a circle cut out centered in the middle of the top, the collar coming up with excess fabric that rested on her shoulders, settling up to her chin. At her waist was a skirt of the same shade of dark blue that fell just above the end of her wrappings around her thighs, a slit on either side of the skirt. A mesh brace was pulled over both knees and both elbows. Pulling a black kunai belt out from her dresser drawer, she strapped it on, pulling from the rack on her table six recently sharpened kunai, she fastened them into the newly strapped holster on her thigh. Her weapons and medical bag was on the bed, waiting for her to pull around her waist and fasten to her hip. Placing a few diverse types of Shuriken into the bag before pulling the pouch on and letting it settle firmly on the left of her hip. "...let's see..." Kagome grabbed the scroll that Genma had given her earlier, pulling it open, she read over the contents. "...a search and rescue in the Hidden Valleys Village...the 'lady in waiting' of the Daimyo's younger daughter, was kidnapped? This shouldn't be too difficult..."

Kagome laid the scroll down and turned her head a bit at the sound of a door opening down the hall. She glanced to her clock and noted the time, it was two hours away from her and her teams rendezvous time. Making her way to her door, she tapped her barefoot on the floor before sighing and opening her door. Leaving her room, she walked down the hall silently, her breathing steady, her steps light. Placing her fingers to the doorknob of Shikamaru's door, ready to open the door when a voice suddenly called out to her. She turned around and bowed, "Shikaku-Sama..."

"I need to speak with you."

Kagome straightened up and quickly followed after the retreating back belonging to Shikaku. She made her way into the Dojo and sat across from Shikaku, between them was a Shogi board. She was used to these meetings, normally just Shikaku asking about how her training was progressing, or how she was being received within her team. "Shikaku-Sama...was there something you needed?"

"In fact," Shikaku used his shadow manipulation jutsu to close the door behind her, "there is." He closed his eyes before reopening them and leveling her with a calculated gaze, "I understand you have a mission, on your return...I want for you to attend the Kunoichi's Seduction Course and Tutorial."

Her eyes widened, not simply surprised by what her caretaker had suggested, she was shaken up by it as well... "You want me to take a class...on seduction?" Kagome frowned, "but Shikaku-Sama...I'm...that is to say..."

"You are young, Kagome, younger than most girls who take this class. However, to assist with your advancement in ranks, I'm lead to believe that this will be the best course of action for you. Your missions will get harder, and for procuring information, a young woman's body is the best persuasive weapon a Kunoichi can use."

Kagome looked down at her hands, "...if you are so sure, Shikaku-Sama...you know I'll do as you tell me."

Shikaku nodded, "Kurenai has agreed to teach you for a period of time, and then Anko will take over your lessons...I myself do not know what these classes entail, but they will not be easy...you _will_ be strong."

Kagome nodded, "...I understand..."

"Also, your silence is mandatory, consider this a priority mission..."

Kagome bowed, "yes, Shikaku-Sama."

"Then you are free to go. On your return, I will expect you to take up your classes with Kurenai and Anko."

"Yes, Shikaku-Sama..." Kagome left the room, making her way to hers, she stopped when she was intercepted and forced into not moving by a familiar shadow possession. "Really? Is this how you go about capturing a girl's attention?"

Shikamaru's left eye twitched in irritation, "Tch...Only when that _girl_ is going out of her way to avoid me."

Kagome followed Shikamaru with her eyes, "well, you have me...what is it?"

"Wow...don't I feel special. You aren't this hostile to my father...are you? You know, in those private meetings you share with him."

Kagome frowned, "Jealousy, Shikamaru? I'm shocked...and for your own father, no less." She looked at the boy who was a year older than her, twelve years old. "You don't have any reason to feel so inadequate, Shikamaru, your father was merely giving me instructions in concerns to a new mission when I return from this one. Maybe you'd like to hold my hand and we can do it together?" Her sarcasm was heavy in her voice.

"Man...What's your problem!? You've been acting all high and mighty since you got put in that three man team! You must think you're so much more superior now...damn...why are women so troublesome!"

Kagome scoffed, "what are you talking about!? I got put on a three man team...and _you_ stopped paying attention to _me_. All you did was hang out with...Chouji, Naruto and Kiba...you even...stopped coming to the meadow at night..."

Shikamaru looked shocked, staring at Kagome, he dropped his Shadow Possession Jutsu and stepped up to her. Moving a hand to hers, he grabbed it tightly a pulled her forward, taking that hand, he brought it to her shoulder, and held her in a tight one arm embrace. "I never... _never_...meant to make you feel isolated. I just didn't want to get in your way. You were moving ahead of me, moving through these classes faster than I had anticipated...I just wanted to see you succeed...but it became difficult, watching your back."

Kagome felt tears swelling up in her eyes, a thumb brushed along the edges of her eyes, wiping them free of the tears that threatened to trail down her cheeks. _"...I'm sorry..."_

"Shikamaru, let Kagome go, she has places to be."

Kagome's shoulders went stiff, turning to look over her shoulder, her eyes widened a bit. "Shikaku-Sama..."

Shikamaru's eyes narrowed a bit, from the corner of his eyes he stared at his father, but kept his mouth shut.

"You have orders...Kagome. Have you already forgotten what you said to me not even a few minutes ago?"

Kagome fidgeted with her feet, leaning her forehead against Shikamaru's shoulder as she did, she whispered softly so that both men heard her, _"...you know I'll do as you tell me."_

"And what is it you told her?"

"That is none of your concern, _boy_."

Shikamaru clenched a fist tightly and pulled Kagome closer to him, "it is my concern. Anything that has to do with Kagome, has to do with me. After all...I plan on making this girl my wife, one day."

Kagome's head shot up, she looked into Shikamaru's face, but his eyes were locked onto his fathers. Shikaku gave his son a hard look before smirking.

"So what, you think you're a man now...you think you can care for Kagome, and keep her strong...you think you can do what's necessary for her? Are you strong enough, Shikamaru? Are you man enough!?"

"... _damn it_...tell me this hasn't all been one of your elaborate schemes of motivating me or something."

"Don't be so arrogant, boy...what I do for Kagome, has nothing to do with you."

"I hardly believe that, however, I will say this. From now on, I want to know what orders you are giving her. I have a ways to go before I can promise to care for her in the way she needs...but I'm ready to undergo all that's necessary to be the kind of man that can protect her from anything that comes her way."

Shikaku stared at Shikamaru for a good while, his eyes looking into the boys, taking in every word he'd said, he finally nodded. "...Kagome...discuss what you wish with Shikamaru, you can decide together what it is you wish to do. Take the class or not, it's up to the two of you now." He said calmly before walking past the two kids.

" _...Shikaku-Sama..."_ Kagome smiled happily as Shikaku left the two of them alone, bringing her arms up and around Shikamaru's shoulders. "I'm so happy...so happy, Shikamaru!"

 **-x-x-x-**

 **Me: Here is chapter seventeen! Lots of fun drama to keep you all interested! I do hope everyone is enjoying this story so far. I took some time to write a slightly longer chapter for you guys, tell me what you think, and I'll update again soon, nyan~!**


	18. Chapter 18

**Lean on Me...**

 **Summary: She was found at such a young age, taken in by Shikaku, not as a daughter, but as a wife in training for his youngest son. How will this affect the Nara Clan...more specifically the laid back, easy going, semi-lazy...Shikamaru?**

 **Anime: InuYasha/Naruto**

 **Pairing: Shikamaru/Kagome**

 **Genre: Romance/Comfort/Hurt**

 **Rated: M for Mature**

 **-x-x-x-**

"So tell me about this _top secret_ mission..."

Kagome was still on a high after hearing Shikamaru tell his father that he had plans on making her his wife. The whole thing had sent chills down her spine. However, the mention of her _mission_ for Shikaku caused her to let go of the warm feeling she had felt inside, "let's go to my room and talk, I have to finish getting ready, and I don't want to be late to the meetup with my teammates."

Shikamaru nodded and followed her into her room. The scroll was still lying open on the bed, he stepped up to it and took it in his hands before reading it over then rolling it up. "So what was it that you and dad were talking about?"

Kagome pulled out her brush, glancing to the clock once more that night, she sighed, _"A little less than an hour left..."_ she started brushing her hair, "Shikaku-Sama–!"

"Stop..." Shikamaru interrupted her, "don't call him that."

Kagome frowned, looking over her shoulder as she continued to brush her hair, "...alright then...Shikaku." She watched the small nod of his head and continued, "Shikaku requested I participate in Seduction Classes with Kurenai and Anko when I return from my mission with Genma and Hayate."

"..." Shikamaru sat down on her bed, his eyes following her movements inquisitively as he ran those words over in his head, backwards, forwards, upside down...it didn't matter how he reworded that sentence, it was the same no matter what the order of the words were. "Lessons in Seduction? Oh...yeah...that would be great for you to advance, I can see it logically as such too. However..."

"However?" Kagome prodded him with her brush before placing it on the bedside table and pulling her hair into a tight braid over her shoulder, wrapping a ponytail around the end securely as she finished braiding it.

"...however, I don't like the idea of you participating in the Seduction Courses...if you choose to do so...then that's up to you, and of course I'll support you, as lame as I think the situation is...but I think you should wait before considering the idea."

Kagome smiled, "I honestly agree with that. I don't want to go into the Seduction Tutorial...the word tutorial can mean both seminar and demonstrate...a seminar can relate to a large gathering of people learning the same thing...while a demonstration is a show of examples or a live illustration. All of this makes me question _how_ I would learn from Kurenai and Anko..."

A slight blush became present on Shikamaru's face as he too wondered what such a class entailed. "Yeah, that's a troublesome thought process on a whole other level...one I'd rather not delve too deeply into. Look, I don't _really_ have a right to tell you what to do or what not to do...I merely hope you won't participate in _that_ type of curriculum."

Pulling on her black sandals, she checked everything over to make sure she was ready, looking at herself in the mirror as she did. Smiling, she grabbed four black hair pins that were each about eight inches long. She sat down beside Shikamaru, going over the tips of the hair stick with a sharpening stone. Once she was confident that they would pierce anything she threw them at with perfect ease, she took her braid and started winding it in a circle on the right side of her head towards the top before taking the hair sticks and placing two through the twist on the left side of the spiraling braided twist, and two on the right side, "I will consider taking the lessons at _much_ later date...but for right now, I will continue with my missions and training, the same way I have been."

Shikamaru nodded, handing her the scroll that he rolled up as she grabbed for her small rucksack that she had previsions and a journal in, along with some medicinal herbs that Shikaku had taught her how to use a while back. She wasn't a medical genius, but she knew enough to get herself and her teammates back to a hospital for proper care. "I have a mission I'm leaving on tomorrow with Ino, Chouji and Asuma...won't be back for a couple of days, a week at most."

Kagome looked at Shikamaru, smiling, she placed her mission scroll in her hip pouch next to the shuriken, senbon and bandage wraps. "A week at the least, it's a search and rescue that's going to take some time to gather information regarding the woman that was taken. It's a C rank, and while C ranks are much more interesting than the D rank missions that are more like glorified chores...but I realized a while back that they simply take too long to complete. I feel like every time I get back, I'm sent off the next day...though, this past week was relatively quiet, I am very thankful for the five day reprieve from missions outside the village...even if I was still walking dogs and pulling weeds."

"Tch...Better than the lame missions that we've been putting up with. We haven't had a single C rank mission yet, they've all been D ranked, and watching some snot nosed brat for his mom, or planting vegetables for some old lady, those are not my idea of missions."

She smiled and laughed a little at the irritated look on his face, "...hey..."

Shikamaru looked up from where he sat, nodding his head in a manner that let her know he was listening.

"I'm glad we were able to talk...it really has been too long. When I get back, promise that we will get together and talk some more, I don't like when we don't talk..."

Another nod, Shikamaru stood up and walked over to her door, holding it open for her as she headed out into the hall. The two walked out of the house, she never bothered with farewells, nor did she promise to 'be back soon'...such promises were far too easily broken, she'd seen it a few times. She'd seen the heartache, the pain etched in a little boys eyes when they found out that mom, dad, or both, were not coming back home.

"I'll walk you to the gate."

Kagome glanced sideways at Shikamaru, "Really?"

"Yeah, why? Is that weird?"

"No...! No...it's just..."

Shikamaru took her hand in his, "don't think too much, Kagome. You and I are still kids, I'd like to think that I have a few more years left before I have to start acting like an adult."

"Finally here?"

Kagome glance up, a smile still firmly placed on her lips, though it faded ever so slightly once she realized where she was. The gate was right before her, and to her annoyance, that meant she was leaving on her mission, Genma was sitting atop the gate, on the ground leaning up against the wall was Hayate. Izumo and Kotetsu were sitting in the gate's booth watching the exchange take place in front of them.

Kagome sighed, letting go of Shikamaru's hand, she walked forward and stepped up to Hayate who placed his hand on her shoulder before kneeling in front of her and handing her a black scarf. She smiled and took the cloth before turning back to Shikamaru, "I'll see you when we get back!"

Smirking, Shikamaru tilted his head as he watched her turn around and leave, "right, _be safe_..."

 **-x-x-x-**

Kagome held the scarf in her hands, "so why did you get this for me?"

Hayate shrugged, " _ekhm..._ it was Genma's idea... _ekhm_."

"Liar!" Genma was running with Kagome on his left, and to his right was Hayate, "He said he thought you would be better kept safe if your face wasn't as clear to see, so _he_ bought you the scarf...so," Genma took the scarf and quickly wrapped it around Kagome's neck so that it hid half of her face, leaving only her eyes and bangs visible. "...use it."

Hayate watched from where he was running next to Genma, _'Genma...that wasn't true...you were the one who said she was more likely to be targeted due to her small stature and age...you told me to go buy that scarf...'_ Hayate stared indifferently at the guy next to him who was fighting off the pink on his cheeks. " _Ekhm..._ "

Kagome laughed as she ran beside the two of them, "let's hurry and get this mission over with! I have places to be...and people to see!"

 **-x-x-x-**

 **ME: Here is chapter eighteen! I hope everyone enjoys it, and yes, I'm aware this chapter was not quite as long as the last chapter, but I hope I still have everyone's attention and we are all still o the same page! Let's keep working together so that we can find an end to Kagome's tale. Love you all, can't wait to read your reviews~!**


	19. Chapter 19

**Lean on Me...**

 **Summary: She was found at such a young age, taken in by Shikaku, not as a daughter, but as a wife in training for his youngest son. How will this affect the Nara Clan...more specifically the laid back, easy going, semi-lazy...Shikamaru?**

 **Anime: InuYasha/Naruto**

 **Pairing: Shikamaru/Kagome**

 **Genre: Romance/Comfort/Hurt**

 **Rated: M for Mature**

 **-x-x-x-**

"Thank you for coming so quickly,"

The Daimyo who sat across from Genma, glanced to the two on either side of him, Kagome and Hayate both were kneeled down similarly to Genma.

' _This was quick?'_ Kagome frowned, _'it took us nearly four days to get here.'_

"I am afraid that I am at a loss for words, however. I wasn't expecting you to bring a child on this mission. This is a priority to our village, and to see that the Leaf clearly doesn't think it as much...I am insulted."

Kagome scoffed.

"Do not let her age fool you, she is far quicker than we are, and knows more about her weapons than the majority of our Jounin in the Leaf Village."

"..." Kagome brought a hand to her bangs, they were soaked and caked against her face from the rain fall outside. They had continued the last two hours of their run in the rain as they made their way to the village. "It's annoying...dealing with people like you. You think with your eyes, and assume I'm incapable as a child. My skills do not come from my age, but from my sheer determination to succeed."

"We have gotten off topic, _ekhm_." Hayate interrupted Kagome, his eyes settling on her for a brief second before returning back to the Daimyo. "I understand that the Lady in waiting was kidnapped, can you explain why?"

"I'm sorry?" The Daimyo frowned, " _why_?"

"If we know 'why' she was taken, that will answer 'what' they might be after...it doesn't matter to us _'when'_ it happened...all that's left after that is to find out 'who' it was that took her, 'where' she's been taken...and then we will get the girl back to her ladyship...speaking of which..." Kagome turned and looked to Genma, who gave a nod in understanding.

"Do you have a picture of the girl...and her name...?" Genma questioned.

The Daimyo looked back to Genma, turning his eyes away from Kagome as he did. "One...yes...it's of both my daughter and her Lady in Waiting." He pulled a picture from his yukata and held it out for Genma. "The one on the left, with the long brown hair...she is my daughter, Sayuri...and on the right, with white hair...she is her Lady in Waiting, Akemi. They were childhood friends growing up, so it only seemed natural that Akemi become Sayuri's lady in waiting."

The trio took a good look at both girls, Hayate spoke out again, clearing his throat just before, "Lord Daimyo... _ekhm_...you still haven't answered the questions prior... _ekhm_. Why was she taken?"

"To ask me why would be ridiculous. If I knew _why_ , I would have most likely been able to prevent it from happening, but the fact of the matter is...I couldn't, because I didn't know it would happen, nor do I know _who_ did it, or _what_ it was they were after. If I knew _who_ did it, I also would know _where_ they took her, and you wouldn't have a job right now."

Kagome sneered at the old man, "don't get snarky, old man. I don't particularly trust you...I also don't think you are telling us everything. I'll explain using little words, so try and keep up. The more we know, the quicker we get the girl back, the less you have to deal with us." She watched his eyes narrow, her hunch about him hiding something was spot on, she was sure of it...she just had to make him talk. Judging by his silence...he had no plans of doing that.

"Kagome..."

She heard the warning in Genma's voice and backed off the topic, clearly not wanting to upset the leader of her squad.

"You have your mission, you have your names and picture...now...find my daughter's lady in waiting...bring her back..."

"Understood, we will do reconnaissance on the area and see what we can find out, tomorrow we will devise a plan for her rescue...she will be back before too long."

Genma and Hayate stood, Genma pulling Kagome up at the elbow, the three vanished before anything else could be said.

 **-x-x-x-**

"What kind of game are you playing at, Kagome?!" Genma yelled, irritated by how easily the little girl let her mouth run without thinking. "He is the Daimyo of the Hidden Valleys Village, do not upset him!"

"Whether I upset him or not, it doesn't matter, does it?" Kagome growled out, her frustration was being made obvious with each passing moment that she listened to her squad leader. "No matter what the situation is, we aren't being given all the details, we'll be screwed without the facts, isn't that what you told me on the last reconnaissance mission we went on?"

Genma's eyes widened, "watch your mouth, brat!" He sighed, "yes, we need the information, but if it's not given to us on our arrival, then we find it for ourselves. Then...and _only_ then...will we confront the Daimyo of the Hidden Valleys Village about what we found."

Hayate placed his hand on Kagome's head, gently, as he was never too hard on her. "Don't let yourself... _ekhm..._ become too invested in the mission, Kagome."

"Silently, and unseen...go and see what you can find. I'm going to take the north and east side of the Village, Hayate and you will take the south and west side of the village."

" **Right,"** Hayate and Kagome answered up together before they both vanished from the room.

Genma waited a moment before taking another look at the picture he'd earlier pocketed in his vest. Shaking his head, he sighed, _'Damn kid will be the death of me...as if I didn't already know the Daimyo was withholding information from us.'_

 **-x-x-x-**

 **(Back in Konoha)**

"Chuunin Exams?" Shikamaru looked at Asuma curiously. Beside him was none other than Chouji and Ino, both of which were looking just as confused, if not interested, as him. "What the heck is that?"

"You take the exam and should you pass, you are promoted to the next rank. It's starting soon, actually." Asuma answered, "Anyways, don't worry so much about it. Right now, you have a mission. It's a simple delivery, C rank, nothing special."

Shikamaru placed both his hands crossed behind his head as he leaned back against the tree. "Sounds like a lot of work,"

"For you, maybe...but the mission itself should be quickly finished. We leave for Waterfall tomorrow afternoon, so pack up and don't be late." Asuma left the three of them at the training grounds, sweat riddling their foreheads.

"Man, what a drag," Shikamaru straightened up and pocketed both his hands before turning to Chouji, "hey...let's go grab a bite."

"What? You are only going to make him fatter, Shikamaru. You really should encourage a healthier diet for him."

Shikamaru scoffed, "whatever, not every woman thinks of only the outward appearance of a person. I know it's shocking to think about, but there are other attributes to a person besides their physical appearance. Chouji is a good guy, he's got the biggest heart I've known, and would drop anything to protect or save his friends...what more could a woman want?"

"You are asking one, and I'm telling you, looks do matter! If you aren't appealing to the eyes, no woman will take a second glance at your personality."

Smirking, Shikamaru chuckled a bit, "I said...'what more could a _woman_ want'...I didn't say anything about what a _girl_ wants. It's clear to me what the girls think of." Placing an arm over Chouji's shoulder as he continued eating his potato chips, "Black hair, black eyes, aloof and unfriendly personality...not to mention...completely arrogant and gloomy...as far as what a woman wants...well, I'll ask you again when you become one." Pulling on Chouji, the two left a fuming Ino behind as she turned away angrily and stomped off towards her home. Her hair flipping with each step she took, eyes glaring at anyone unlucky enough to get in her way.

 **-x-x-x-**

 **Me: Here is chapter 19, I hope you all enjoy this chapter. I** _ **will**_ **update again tonight! I owe you all that much, I had been entirely too sleepy to post a chapter last night, but this should make up for it. Let me know what you all think, and since I'm BACK at MEP's, your reviews can keep me company~! LOVE YOU ALL!**


	20. Chapter 20

**Lean on Me...**

 **Summary: She was found at such a young age, taken in by Shikaku, not as a daughter, but as a wife in training for his youngest son. How will this affect the Nara Clan...more specifically the laid back, easy going, semi-lazy...Shikamaru?**

 **Anime: InuYasha/Naruto**

 **Pairing: Shikamaru/Kagome**

 **Genre: Romance/Comfort/Hurt**

 **Rated: M for Mature**

 **-x-x-x-**

Kagome shook her head in annoyance. They _had_ figured out _who_ had taken her...the problem was it was the neighboring village, and if they weren't careful, they might start a war with the village. Looking over the stronghold, she sighed. "So what?" She asked Hayate who was watching from beside her. The two of them had _tailed_ one of the guards from the Daimyo's employment, and to their surprise, they had followed him all the way to the outskirts of the Lord of the Land of Rivers.

"For now...you will report back to Genma... _ekhm..._ I will stay and scout the fortress and report back tonight with what I found out."

Kagome pouted, "I can do it too...you know I can!"

Smiling, he coughed lightly into his hand, patting Kagome with the other as he did, "I know... _ekhm_...but you are also much quicker on your feet, so sending you to Genma is the smartest choice for us to pursue, _ekhm_."

Nodding, she stood and jumped backwards before vanishing in the leaved, her new scarf whipping behind her as she ran back towards the home of the Daimyo of the Hidden Valleys Village. From where she and Hayate had run to, it would take her at the least, forty minutes to get to the village...if she ran at a normal pace...but that just wasn't her style. Pushing a bit of her chakra into the soles of her feet, she pressed off quickly through the air and her time of arrival was by half in a matter of seconds.

 **-x-x-x-**

Shikamaru sat outside on his rooftop, looking out at the field, he couldn't stop himself from thinking about Kagome, remembering the last few times they'd hung out with the doe's and their fawn. Looking towards the Bucks, his eyes moved to their antlers and he frowned, he couldn't look at anything without thinking of her. _'I really was ignoring her, damn...'_ laying back, he crossed his arms back behind his head and stared up at the clouds.

"Shikamaru, get down here and help with the antler powder."

Shikamaru groaned out his annoyance at being interrupted before he could even begin to relax, "yeah, right..."

"Drop that tone, boy...you've been lounging about the house since this morning."

"I was told to go home and pack..." Shikamaru commented as he jumped off the roof, "I packed. Now I'm relaxing before we have to leave tomorrow at noon."

"Being lazy and taking time to relax are two different things, you like to get them both confused with one another." Shikaku gave his son a stern look, watching him make his way over to where he stood.

"Whatever, let's just get this over with..."

 **-x-x-x-**

 **(With Kagome)**

Stopping in front of the room that the group had been assigned to, she could tell where Genma was by his chakra and had been pleased to find him there. Stepping inside, she walked towards him, she noted the papers on the ground with bits and pieces of information scribbled down in some kind of organized chaos. "We found out who was responsible for the kidnapping."

"Who?"

"We followed one of the Daimyo's guards to the village at the outskirts of the Hidden Valleys Village, to the fortress of the Lord of the Land of Rivers...the Shizuka clan."

"Shizuka clan?" Genma frowned, "that name...did the Daimyo mention that name to us?"

"He did," Kagome said informatively, pulling from her pouch a little pocket notebook, she flipped it open and scanned the paper. "I recorded from memory what he spoke of upon our arrival and during the initial meeting. Shizuka is the clan name of the Lord who is to wed the Princess Sayuri of the Hidden Valleys Village." Kagome pocketed the notebook back in the pouch, "It seems the wedding was moving entirely to slow."

"I wouldn't be so sure..." Genma lifted his hand and held out the picture of the two girls, the picture that the Daimyo had given to them upon their arrival. "I took a look into the girl who was taken, and to my humorous surprise...the one who was kidnapped, is none other than...the princess."

"Wait...what!?" Kagome frowned, sitting down across from Genma as she let her eyes wander over the two girls. "How do you figure?"

"Take a good hard look at the _lady in waiting_ that was supposedly kidnapped, notice anything peculiar about her?"

Kagome shook her head, but said nothing as she searched the picture for whatever it was that had caught the attention of Genma. "Not that I know much about _princesses_ and the like..." she sighed, doing one final sweep, she handed the picture back to Genma, "I give...what am I not-! Wait, is that..."

 _ **~FLASHBACK~**_

 _ **Kagome walked up to the shoji screen door with her teammates beside her, all three were drenched by the rain, their soaked through as well. She glanced up as the shoji screen slid to the side to reveal a large man with a wide waist line and grim looking face. His eyes were closed, with gray whiskers for a mustache and a braided gray beard that fell past the collar of his shirt. She looked over the heavy silk robes, the layers of which were an assortment of Purple, Greens, Yellows and White. Adorn on his ears were silver earrings and on his fingers were a collection of rings, some plain, some embedded with rare gems, one particular ring was shaped with the clans insignia of two sparrows facing away from one another with an amethyst being carried in the beaks of both on a silver band.**_

 _ **Kagome cringed at the giddiness of his apparel.**_

" _ **I'm glad you made it without any trouble, please...come inside."**_

 _ **Kagome followed after Genma and Hayate, three coming to an empty room where the Daimyo sat down on a pillow.**_

" _ **Thank you for coming so quickly,"**_

 _ **~END-FLASHBACK~**_

"...is that...the Royal Insignia of the Daimyo's family on Akemi's necklace?"

"Note that there isn't one on Sayuri..."

"So the one who was kidnapped was the princess...Princess _Akemi_?"

"Very good, now...I plan to have a word with the young Lady in Waiting... _Sayuri_...who is in her chambers right now. My shadow clone has been keeping a close watch on her since I saw her while on my patrol."

"...peeping? Really, Genma? Wow...who would have thought that you were _that_ type..."

Genma flushed brightly before pulling Kagome's head under one of his arms and digging two knuckled into her cranium.

"AHHH~! G-GENMA! NO, IT HURTS~!"

"TAKE IT BACK, BRAT!"

"NO WAY!" She struggled before bringing her hands together. _POOF!_ Where she once was, a pillow appeared in his arms. Suddenly, another walloped him across the back of his head and knocked him forward. "Not in a million years!" She grinned, "Now! Moving onto more important business! We need to speak with this princess...and send word to Hayate to return back to the Daimyo's fortress, we should have him leave a Shadow Clone behind and continue to conduct his scouting like that."

Genma gave a nod and sat back up, tossing the pillow in his arms at her and knocking her off her feet and back into the stack of futons behind her. "Send a clone, meanwhile, you and I will talk to our _princess_."

"Right!"

 **-x-x-x-**

 **Me: Here is chapter twenty of the story, so far it's moving along nicely! Let me know what you think of this chapter! Until next time, Ja Nai~!**


	21. Chapter 21

**Lean on Me...**

 **Summary: She was found at such a young age, taken in by Shikaku, not as a daughter, but as a wife in training for his youngest son. How will this affect the Nara Clan...more specifically the laid back, easy going, semi-lazy...Shikamaru?**

 **Anime: InuYasha/Naruto**

 **Pairing: Shikamaru/Kagome**

 **Genre: Romance/Comfort/Hurt**

 **Rated: M for Mature**

 **-x-x-x-**

There's a song on the wind...it's heard by anyone who's willing to listen, anyone who wants to hear it. This softly sung song of the wind...the way it plays into the leaves of the trees. There is a song...on the wind...

" _What a lovely song..."_

 **-x-x-x-**

Kagome waited for Genma's sign, a good few minutes passed without anything...then finally, a bright glint formed with the help of the light of the sun, catching her eyes as it did. _'That's it! The guards are gone...'_ she cleared her landing as she flipped gracefully from a tree branch to the door of the _Princesses_ room. Giving a gentle tap before entering the room, the only warning the princess had to prepare for the sudden intrusion. "Princess...it's an honor to be in your presence, do you mind if I ask you a few questions about your Lady in Waiting?"

The girls' eyes widened, large green eyes stared into Kagome's blue eyes, her brown hair was pulled up into intricate twists. The heavy robes she wore were similar to the Daimyo's, and were fanned out around her where she was sitting by a table. Parchment and ink laid out before her and a half written letter.

"Oh, the ninja responsible for bringing back...Akemi...we are all so very...thankful."

The words came out forced, but the gentle smile on Sayuri's face did not falter.

"You don't mind if we have an audience with you,"

Sayuri turned and stared at the man in the room with her Kagome and her, the guy looked bored for the most part, but was surprising laid back as his eyed settled on her letter she'd been writing. Gracefully, she brought a hand up and her kimono sleeve rested questionably over the parchment. "Of course not, after all...I wish for the safe return of Akemi...she means the world to me."

"I'm sure she does...to the point that you took her place as the princess of the Hidden Valleys Village...her own father loved her enough to cover the switch, which leads me to believe that this was an arrangement made many years ago for the public..." Genma said coolly, taking a couple steps towards the girl and lifting her arm to reveal the paper beneath it. "Looks like...while the Daimyo planned to let the whole of the village, and the Princesses suitor's believe that you were the true heir of the Daimyo, you and the actually Princess had alternative plans."

"No..." Sayuri frowned, "your wrong! Akemi and I were placed in this situation, but she came up with this idea all on her own." Akemi looked down at her hands that were both shaking with her vast nerves. "I wanted her to think about what this could do to her relationship with her father, but she was...she was adamant! She and the Lord of the Land of Rivers...they had met when he'd brought his son down to meet the princess...which was supposed to be me. She was immediately recognized as a princess, no matter what she said the Lord of the Land of Rivers would not be swayed. When his son saw her...it was instantaneous. He fell in love, just with one look...and she too couldn't deny the feelings that were burning her up from the inside. I wasn't blind, I could see it, but I was worried about what might come from this."

"Our mission is to bring her back..."

"I know...I understand, but..." Sayuri shook her head, "...I will set up a rendezvous with the Princess, there are a few guards in league with the Princess and myself, they do not report to the Daimyo, but us instead. Please, do not act rashly, hear her out...please..."

Kagome shuffled her foot against the ground, "I don't understand stuff like this...you are talking about love...like it happens instantly with a look." She shook her head, a familiar voice in her head caused her heart to break. A memory she'd long ago tried to suppress.

 ** _A shrill scream caused her to stop moving, her eyes widening in terror as she looked on from her spot, the image of her mother's body hovering in the air, impaled by a sword that was held in a pale man's hand._**

" ** _MIDORIKO~!"_**

" ** _Sh-Shiga! G-go!"_**

" ** _No...no, I won't leave you!"_**

 ** _Kagome watched her father charge the man who had impaled her mother, knocking him back, the sword was ripped from her mother's chest and flew back with the man who smashed into a large boulder back past the swing set. Shaking her head, she made to move forward, but was stopped by something gripping tightly at her ankle. Looking down, she noted the thin vine around her wrappings and looked back up to her mother who was looking up at her father, tears in her eyes, she was smiling at him. He was smiling back at her, his own tears burning in his eyes. '...no...mama...daddy...'_**

" ** _You will both die now,"_**

Kagome closed her eyes tightly, sweat forming along her brow as she tried to fight off the pain growing inside of her. She had seen love before, she had seen two people die in love. It was terrifying, but beautiful...and so very sad...

"We can hear her out, but this is a mission, and I don't plan on failing because daddy's little girl is a rebel."

Sayuri coldly stood and glared at Genma, "you clearly know nothing of what it means to be in love. Love is one of the few things in this world, worth fighting for, and worth dying for. If you find it, you cling tightly to it, and you never let it go, no matter what the cost...you _never_ let it go."

Kagome shook at the severity in the girls voice, "Genma, let's go. I'm sure the Lady Sayuri will inform us of the meeting time when she has procured it herself."

Genma scoffed but listened all the same. The leader of their team, he might be, but he knew when the eleven year old was being the wiser of the two of them. She clearly understood this situation better than he did, and he had clearly said _something_ to offend the Lady in Waiting. "Right, let's go. Hayate will be back shortly, we'll be able to fill him in while waiting."

Kagome nodded in agreement before the two vanished in a swirl of leaves that fluttered caressingly around Sayuri before falling gently along the floor, scattering over her yukata aimlessly.

Sayuri stepped over the leaves and walked towards the sliding screen shoji door, pushing it swiftly aside with one hand, she stared up into the night sky, the rain still falling and the wind guiding it in effortless strokes. _'My Lady...I will do what I have to...to protect your love...I promise!'_

 **-x-x-x-**

 **Me: Here is chapter twenty-one, I want to apologize for the last chapter, I agree with my readers who thought it didn't flow as well with the rest of the story, and believed it was forced. I did have trouble with that chapter and hadn't even had the opportunity to read over it after typing it up and posting it. For that, you all have my apologies. I re-read it, and after some deliberation, I can't bring myself to change the chapter. It really isn't all that important, as far as the mission goes, however, the end of this mission will prove to be very important for the rest of this chapter. So please, bear with me until things move along to the Chuunin Exams! Love you all, and I hope this chapter was better!**


	22. Chapter 22

**Lean on Me...**

 **Summary: She was found at such a young age, taken in by Shikaku, not as a daughter, but as a wife in training for his youngest son. How will this affect the Nara Clan...more specifically the laid back, easy going, semi-lazy...Shikamaru?**

 **Anime: InuYasha/Naruto**

 **Pairing: Shikamaru/Kagome**

 **Genre: Romance/Comfort/Hurt**

 **Rated: M for Mature**

 **-x-x-x-**

 **(Two Days Later)**

Perhaps staring at the moon was her only escape from the stress of the situation. Sitting with her back against Hayate's, Kagome sighed. _'I feel as if the moon is leading me astray...in this situation, I shouldn't be moon gazing, but I can't take my eyes off of its glow. I wonder...if Shikamaru is looking at the moon too...'_ Hearing the soft shuffle of her leader's clothes, she broke her eyes away from the moon and looked to her left. Genma was now sitting against the wall of their room, watching his team as they thought over their situation. Not even an hour ago, they had met with the Princess...and her fiancé. The memory was still fresh in their minds...

 _ **~FLASHBACK~**_

" _ **Remember, we won't engage in a fight if possible, but that only stands long enough to hear out the Princess..." Genma sighed, "To be honest, I think we should just grab her and go, but you will most likely fight me tooth and nail if I do that."**_

" _ **Absolutely! Though...I do have a strange feeling..." Kagome glanced around the forest with a calculating expression. "It's strange, but I feel as if we are being watched...and have been since we left the Daimyo's estate."**_

" _ **Ekhm...you wouldn't be wrong, Kagome." Hayate closed his eyes as he spoke to his teammates, "three of the Princesses guards...ekhm."**_

" _ **Ignore them for now," Genma said evenly, looking ahead as a woman made her way towards them on her own. "The real Princess has made herself known."**_

 _ **Kagome took a senbon from her side pouch and held it hidden in her hand. "She's not alone either..."**_

" _ **No, she's not. However, I hadn't expected her to come alone..."**_

 _ **The princess stopped a few steps away from the three of them, "I see you were followed, not the best of Shinobi...how pitiful." She said disdainfully.**_

 _ **Kagome glowered, "we are well aware of the three guards that followed us, we just didn't think you'd be too pleased if we caused a scuffle with your guards." Kagome watched a small smile form on the princesses' lips, "what's so funny?!"**_

" _ **Those men are not my guards...they follow Sayuri."**_

" _ **But are they not also loyal to you?" Genma asked, genuinely curious.**_

 _ **Shaking her head, Akemi sighed, "I wouldn't be surprised if she put you up to this...tell me, what did Sayuri say to you?"**_

" _ **Sayuri told us that the son of the Lord of the Land of Rivers fell in love with you at first sight," Kagome said, looking at the Princess with cautious and irritated eyes.**_

 _ **Smiling, Akemi nodded, "yes...that's true enough..."**_

" _ **She tried to talk you out of leaving the castle, out of running off with the Lord's son, so not to cause a rift between you and your father."**_

" _ **Not true...she has filled my father with so many lies...I tried to talk with my father, but Sayuri had spoken to him before I could. She had touched loosely on the topic of my feelings for Yue, but then poisoned my already overprotective father with of his vipers tongue and precarious ways. Yue has been nothing but cordial towards me, honest in even his most grievous of deeds. The harsh fact of reality, is that Sayuri had been the one to meet Yue first, as I was only viewed as the Lady in Waiting, as per another poisonous plot of Sayuri's. She has been doing such conniving things since our childhood..." Akemi scoffed, her eyes forming tears as she clenched her fists tightly at her side. "She fell in love with Yue, but he wasn't interested...he had been leaving the estate when he ran into his father...who was in the midst of trying to prove my royalty. He was adamant too. I hadn't been called a princess in so long, I nearly forgot myself. However...I am the Princess, and she...is a practiced storyteller. I will say this though...she does value love...for whatever that is worth." Akemi ran her fingers through her long snowy white hair and smiled sadly.**_

" _ **Why would she do all of that, I thought you were both childhood friends." Kagome said, sounding completely confused.**_

" _ **...we are...or, were..." shaking her head, "...when I went by Princess...it was while my mother was still alive. Sayuri and I were the best of friends, closer even...we were like sisters. My mother would tell us stories, read to us, play with us...Sayuri was very close to my mother, and even closer to my father. I myself was not kept in such close confidence with my father as she was. When my mother died...I was only eight, and she was broken by the loss as much as I was. She went to my father and told him that by my title alone, I was in danger. Which...wasn't a lie, but..." Akemi closed her eyes and settled herself on the ground comfortably. "...but it was an exaggeration, and she fed his fears of losing his only child, with terrors of what may or may not have come to pass. He chose to appoint Sayuri the princess, and I was placed in secret as her Lady in Waiting. He wouldn't hear reason from me...he was intent on running everything by Sayuri, as if she was all knowing."**_

" _ **So you planned your own kidnapping," Kagome sighed, "...this is troublesome."**_

" _ **I want nothing more than to be my father's daughter again, but as it stands, she is in complete control of his every move. My father is no more the Daimyo of his lands, than you are the Hokage of yours."**_

" _ **This complicates matters, but if you don't mind me asking one more question..." Genma said as he took a single step towards the Princess. "If Sayuri fell in love with Yue, like you said...why would she so adamantly defend you?"**_

 _ **It was a good question. With all that Akemi said about Sayuri, it went against all that Sayuri had argued and fought with them over in concerns of Akemi.**_

" _ **Because...she's playing a game...one that she's entirely too good at. I'm afraid that I am not all that good at the game she plays, and neither are you. You will find, her lies to be an almost unnatural talent. I lover Sayuri...but...I will not continue living in a lie."**_

" _ **Akemi..."**_

 _ **The group turned and saw a man with long flowing black hair and green eyes.**_

" _ **Yue...is it time?"**_

 _ **He gave a nod and held out his hand for her.**_

" _ **Wait!" Kagome moved forward, but was grabbed from behind by Genma who had her lifted in one arm around the waist. "Ow! Let go, Genma!"**_

" _ **Hush..." Genma sighed, "We will meet again, Princess...and we will get this situation resolved, one way or another."**_

 _ **Akemi smiled sadly, "we will see."**_

" _ **Ekhm..."**_

 _ **~END FLASHBACK~**_

"This whole scenario is troublesome..." Kagome said before laying back and rolling over onto her sighed. "This mission is taking too long as it is...I want to go home."

 **-x-x-x-**

 **(In Konoha)**

Neji jumped past Lee and landed on a branch a couple feet ahead of his Taijutsu trained teammate, "it's late, Lee...I will see you and Tenten tomorrow."

"Oh, but Neji, we have so much more training left to do! At our age, our Youth is in its most beautiful state, we should embrace this youth and take on the challenges of the night! You and I can embrace our youthful-"

"No!" Neji prided himself in his blank slate of emotions, but Lee sometimes pushed certain buttons that forced him to take action quickly before things became _awkward_. Not that there were any moments where Lee _wasn't_ awkward. "Youth is best preserved with a good sleep, Lee...if you don't rest well, your _youthful_ spirit will become damaged and you will become sluggish."

Lee looked shocked, but his eyes did that thing where he pulled his own theory together and went off a cliff with it. "Of course! You are right, Neji! Of course sleep is the best remedy for incurring more youth!"

Neji nodded blankly and merely went along with Lee's new train of thought. "This is why I must go to sleep. This way, when we train tomorrow...my _youthful spirit_...will be at its most desired."

Lee pumped a fist in the air before giving Neji a thumbs up, "Good night, my comrade! I will see you as soon as the sun starts to rise!"

Neji shook his head as Lee and Tenten left him. He wandered home but paused momentarily as he looked towards the Academy, _"...Kagome...I wonder how you're doing."_

 **-x-x-x-**

 **(Back With Kagome)**

"I don't know how to tell which one is being honest..."

Genma listened to the soft breathing of the little girl who was grouped into a team with himself and Hayate. He had _thought_ she'd gone to sleep...obviously not. "We should figure out the facts first then...we will start with the Lady in Waiting. We know its Sayuri...that much was verified by both girls...we also know that Akemi is the true Princess...those facts are enough to start off with. Kagome...you will go to the Princess...Hayate, you are to watch Sayuri."

Kagome stood and nodded. "Then I'll go-"

"Not tonight." Genma looked out at the silent wind that was becoming fiercer by every passing second. "Sleep, get your rest and tomorrow we will commence our recon."

" **Understood!"**

 **-x-x-x-**

 **(Next Morning)**

The flowers around her feet were wet with dew from that morning's gentle shower. A heavy storm the night before had carried twigs and leaves from the surrounding forest into the garden by the estate. "What a mess..." Kagome looked down and knocked a stick away from her.

"Be careful, Kagome."

She looked over her shoulder and smiled, "I will, but Genma...I would be more worried for Hayate. I feel as if Sayuri is hiding something...and like the Princess said, those guards belonged to Sayuri...I'm certain that she will already know about the meeting, and that includes everything that was said between us and the Princess."

Genma nodded, "I thought so too, so I won't be too far away from him. I will be watching the Daimyo."

Kagome nodded in understanding, "alright then, I'll be off." She disappeared in a flurry of leaves. Appearing a good distance away from Genma and taking off on foot towards the Land of Rain. _'I just want to go back home. This mission is becoming stupidly more demanding than we originally thought it would be. Shikamaru...I bet you guys are already back home and relaxing! Lucky...'_

 **-x-x-x-**

 **(In Konoha)**

" _Ah! Tchoo!"_

Ino looked back and frowned, "bless you,"

Shikamaru rubbed his nose and yawned, "Someone must be talking about me."

"Nothing good, I'm sure." Ino laughed as she turned back and continued with her team towards the Hokage's tower. "I bet their talking about how lazy and unmotivated you are," She glanced to Chouji who was stuffing his face with pork fat chips, cringing at the name of the flavored chips, she turned away. "On another note, do you know where Sensei left to?"

Shikamaru shrugged, "Said he had to leave."

"Yeah...but where do you think he left to?"

"Kurenai's?" Chouji suggested, taking another handful of his chips as he started up the stairs with his team.

"That's possible, but given the hawk we saw on our way into the village, not likely. He's probably already meeting with the Hokage. Taking our time is the most logical plan, considering the Hokage most likely won't be there when we get to his office."

Ino sighed, "must be nice to always be involved with the meetings. I can't wait to get promoted to Chuunin."

"I'm personally in no hurry."

"Is that supposed to surprise me, Shikamaru?"

Shikamaru scoffed at his blonde teammate and looked away from her as they made it to the office. "I'm telling you, he's not in there."

Ino opened the door, and as told by Shikamaru, the Hokage was nowhere to be seen. "Guess we'll just hang onto our mission report until he gets through with the Jounin."

The three left and took off in different directions to let their families know they were back. Though, Shikamaru quickly left his house afterwards and took his place in the field on the Nara property. "Damn, what a boring mission..."

 **-x-x-x-**

 **Me: Here is chapter twenty-two, I hope you all enjoyed it! Let me know what you think, and I'll update again soon. I know it took a while to get this chapter out, but I needed to restart my inspiration, so the other Naruto fics were started to get me going once more. I hope you are all still with me! Much love~!**


	23. Chapter 23

****Lean on Me...****

 ** **Summary: She was found at such a young age, taken in by Shikaku, not as a daughter, but as a wife in training for his youngest son. How will this affect the Nara Clan...more specifically the laid back, easy going, semi-lazy...Shikamaru?****

 ** **Anime: InuYasha/Naruto****

 ** **Pairing: Shikamaru/Kagome****

 ** **Genre: Romance/Comfort/Hurt****

 ** **Rated: M for Mature****

 ** **-x-x-x-****

 ** _ **AGES RIGHT NOW**_**

 ** **AGES****

 ** **Kagome –**** ** **11****

 ** **Rookie Nine –**** ** **12****

 ** **Neji –**** ** **13****

 ** **Itachi - 1**** ** **8****

 ** **-x-x-x-****

 ** **A/N: This chapter is a bit of a**** ** _ **twist**_** ** **, certainly it isn't kid friendly.  
It will be hurtful for Kagome.  
Warning: "**** ** _ **ATTEMPTED**_** ** **" UNDERAGE RAPE****

 ** **-x-x-x-  
****

' _DAMN IT!_ _'_ Hayate jumped backwards as a guard made to attack him, it was such a sudden thing, he hadn't been expecting it in the least to turn out this way. However, when young Lady in Waiting had suddenly stood and moved her hand out in front of her, he'd been surrounded and tossed inside her room.

" _You have gotten in my way, shinobi of the Leaf...I no longer need such nuisances."_

Such was the beginning of a series of dodges and attacks. Not only him, but Genma from the sounds of it. A Kunai caught him in the shoulder and he grabbed the wrist of it's owner. "... _ekhm_...how unfortunate." He slung the man down into the ground and offed him with his own Kunai. Four more guards appeared and this time, he hadn't been so lucky. His sword was knocked out of his reach from the start, and he'd already been cut up pretty decently from previous attacks. Hayate watched as a guard dragged Genma in by the collar of his clothes, tossing him on the ground before him before a sharp pain struck him in the back of the neck. _"...Kagome...damn it...I need to warn her!'_

 ** _~POOF~_**

 **-x-x-x-**

A dull laugh filtered her room and Sayuri turned a charming smile to the Daimyo. "Oh great Lord, what ever will we do? With this, the Lord Yue has completely turned the leaf nin against us, and your daughter is no closer to being brought back..."

"...I see well enough, that peace between our families was a fools dream. I will set forth the march of war, we will get my daughter back..." the Daimyo leaned forward and placed his lips along the neck of the young girl. She brought her hands up and the guards left with the Leaf nin in captivity.

She let his hands go where they pleased, no intent on stopping him. She didn't care, so long as Akemi was returned, she would be happy. After...she was the one...who loved her first. Her beautiful princess, and the prince as well. She wanted them both...and she'd have them. "We must get her back, and for measures of security, take the Lord Yue captive."

"We will do as you say." He said only as his lips broke away from her flesh, then he continued, throwing her down on her bed, he pulled her robes apart and delved into the offerings she laid out before him. She was all of his, and in return, she controlled his every thought, his every word. What was her innocence, if not the price for power.

-x-x-x-

Kagome had been spotted by the Princess quite a long while ago.

"You are good at hiding, much better than those Sayuri employs."

"Are you not mad?" Kagome asked, "I would figure that you wouldn't be please with shinobi following you."

"Ah, but you see," Akemi smiled sweetly, "that fact alone, that you have chosen to follow me instead of drag me back, is enough for me to know that you too think there's something amiss."

"Yes, we don't fully know who to believe...but, none of us trust Sayuri at all."

"For good reason, it would seem."

The two glanced up as Yue made his way towards the two. Akemi stood as he grew closer, her hands settling on his chest as he brought an arm around her waist. "What is it my love?"

"Your father has set troops to my fortress. War will be on my doorsteps in a few hours tops." He rested his forehead against hers and sighed, "you must get to safety."

"Wait, you are certain of this? Hayate and Genma should have-"

"My spy has informed me of your friends being taken prisoners, as I'm certain, once this war has begun, they will fall victim to murder and no doubt, the blame will be set at my feet."

"No, that won't happen. Akemi, have you ever learned ninjutsu or anything?" Kagome was certain the answer would be a negative one.

"I'm sorry, I haven't ever the need."

"...that's fine, I expected that answer. The men coming, they are not ninja, are they?"

"Oh, no...they are only soldiers. There are shinobi, but they are Sayuri's personal guards, and while they are quite fierce, they are few. The others on their way are merely muscled brutes that my father has hired."

Kagome smiled, "I can take care of the brutes first then, I was a bit worried, since my Genjutsu is not the best...certainly it's not as good as my Sensei's...but it is still well enough to fool a batch of brutes. With that, please hold still." Kagome did a few quick signs and two puffs appeared beside her. "Hide the princess, Yue..."

The two stood and stared in confusion at the three identical Kagome's before they all changed into the Princess herself.

"M-ME!?"

Kagome laughed, "it's still me, I feel this will best prove a distraction for are foolish brutes." She laughed, "then..." she preformed a few more signs with her hands and the world around them faded into darkness and silence. "As I said, take her and leave to the lowest room beneath your stronghold."

"I understand, Akemi, lets go!"

"Uh...but, Kagome...you are still just a kid! You'll be killed!" Akemi was being dragged off by Yue and her yells went ignored by Kagome.

' _Itachi-Sensei...all that I am living for, all that I am fighting for...I can protect, because of you..._ _I won't let your teachings go to waste!_ _'_ She disappeared in a swirl of leaves before silence gathered in the very clearing she'd only seconds ago stood.

 **-x-x-x-**

Genma stared at Hayate, they were both tied up in a way that disabled the use of their hands and feet, it was such a pain, but they were completely screwed unless the guards seriously slipped up. Which was highly unlikely as it stood. He sighed irritably before glancing around their stone surroundings. _'_ _Kagome..._ _'_

 **-x-x-x-**

It was night when she felt the hum of their steps in the earth. The men arriving at the River Fortress stopped at the quiet entrance before cruel smirks and chilled laughs escaped their lips and they continued in their idea of a quiet stride forward.

Kagome was on a branch far above the march, watching them move onward with the intent to slaughter the civilians in the fortress and take the Lord and his bride to be. At this point, she no longer cared about her mission. She had no idea if Hayate and Genma were okay, but she knew she had to have faith in them, or else she was truly all alone.

"Oi, it's too quiet!"

" _Hush!"_

" _The fools are probably peacefully sleeping,_ _our Daimyo did tell us to attack in their obliviousness. They won't know what hit them!_ _"_

" _Yeah!_ _"_

The men raised their weapons and brandished their evil in the moons light as they stormed the gate and tore through the walls of her Genjutsu...the forest...has never been so loud. _'But it's not the fortress, at least. The Princess is safe for now.'_ Kagome pulled from her side two kunai before jumping into the shadows and eliminating her foolish foes. Though, not quite so easily as simply saying she would. They were bulk in number, and size. Their muscles were nothing to laugh at, as she was quick to discover when one of her Kunai failed to pierce all the way through the mass of rock flesh.

Kagome shook her head and glared fiercely as she ran the other blade across the mans throat before her yelled out and alarmed the others. His body dropped and she took her kunai back. These men were stupid. They moved forward with no order to their raid. _'Hired monkeys!'_ They didn't take any notice of their fallen men, and they had _no_ survival instinct! Reappearing behind two more men, she twisted swiftly in the air with her Kunai impaling both through their necks. There was a gurgle of blood from the one on the left which _did_ notify the men in front of them, and she hastily vanished before they turned and their eyes took in their dead comrades.

"THE GIRL!"

Kagome jumped, worried that they had seen her for a second, she saw the brute point to the distance and noted her clones. Well, one of them. She smirked as she took off running in fear, the other one joining her and running off into a different direction, soon, the men were split into two large groups of hired mercenaries.

' _I could use that...it would be quick...and right now, I need quick.'_ She nodded, her two clones appeared next to her and the three surrounded around one of the large groups as they had stopped running and were turning in circles looking for the clone Kagome had sent them after. One hand sign after another, Kagome moved quickly before ending with her thumb and pointer finger making a circle in front of her lips, her clones copying the technique as fire blew from three directions and yells and cries of pain filled the night. Terror and blood drifted in the nights breeze as the other group made their way towards the burning mass of flesh. A few men still alive were rolling in pain on the ground. Kagome made quick work of them before the others survived...but she didn't move. She stayed standing in the middle of the slaughter.

"The...Princesses Lady in Waiting?!" One said in shock, taking an unconscious step back would prove to be the most intelligent thing he did that night.

Kagome smiled, a poof sounded and the smoke around her cleared to reveal her true self to the men. She listened to the roar of the men as they each pushed forward, jumping into the air, she kicked off one of the men before slamming her knee into the side of a head, twisting a kunai in her hand, she spun rapidly and slit another throat. The action itself was becoming far more natural than she wanted to admit. However, she had people she needed to protect, she had to find Genma, and Hayate...and the Princess and Yue were also counting on her. Her clones hopped forward and together, the three of them cleared the men out, in their slow movements and too large bodies. Their own nimble and lithe forms going untouched by the hired men of the Daimyo. It was only a matter of minutes before movement among the men ceased.

"That's done with..."

"Yes...very good..."

 ** _~POOF~POOF~_**

Kagome froze at the sound of her clones popping to the left and right of her. A warm hand gently trailed along her arm. Her hand trembled with her Kunai still in a vice like grip. She turned around with the intent to kill who ever had touched her, but he was gone. A hand caught her by the back of the neck and pain coursed through her body as she found herself slammed into the tree in front of her. The Genjutsu that had fulled the fools that followed the Daimyo, had fallen. It was just her in the forest with her mystery assailant gripping her neck tight enough to immobilize her, but not tight enough to kill her. He wanted her alive, for one reason or another.

' _D-damn it...he's faster...than I thought...he'd be!'_ Kagome was afraid, she was truly terrified of the person who held her. Her cheek was bleeding from being slammed into the rough bark of the tree. She felt the cloth of the scarf around her neck being pulled away from her and heard a soft chuckle tickle her ear, she shuddered at the sound. _"L-le-ah! AaaHa~!"_ Kagome choked a cry of pain out as the person behind her took a fist full of her hair and pulled her head back. She felt some wet on her cheek and would have cringed if physically possible. As it stood, the position of her head had forced her mouth open and disabled her ability to speak, only slight utterances and moans of pain could break free from such an awkward position she was in.

" _Such a sweet voice..."_ he whispered softly in her ear, almost beautifully, if not for the fact that the man was trying to either kill her or sexually assault her. Either way, Kagome desperately wanted to be set free.

 **" _Your missions will get harder, and for procuring information, a young woman's body is the best persuasive weapon a Kunoichi can use."_**

Kagome blushed at Shikaku's words, _'...such things...really...'_ she felt the man's hips knead into her small form and her body froze in fear. _'Sh-Shikamaru! I want Shikamaru!'_ Tears burned furiously at her eyes as a warm and wet appendage came and licked the edges, taking a sick sort of delight in her tears. She could feel something pressing against her bottom, hard and heavy against her small body. The man was simply rubbing himself against her right now. She wasn't feeling very positive that he'd remain content with such an act.

" _Your tears taste so good, I'm not used to such small and cute kunoichi, I want to hear you scream~"_

A piercing pain shot through her side and Kagome screamed despite her position, her cry of pain echoed through the forest, and her eyes widened in panic. He was laughing, the man behind her was laughing hysterically, and she felt for the first time in a long time, as if she might actually die. _'This man...this man is like 'him'...no...he's worse!'_

"Now, let's have some fun! **Hahahah _~ACK!_** "

His grip on her loosened dramatically and Kagome found herself falling when warm and very familiar arms caught her.

" _..._ _ekhm..._ I'm late...sorry. _"_

Kagome scoffed but gave a soft laugh at Hayate's comment. He walked a bit away from the now headless shinobi who lay dead on the forest floor by the tree she'd moments ago been personally acquainted with. Lying her carefully down on the ground, he looked at the Kunai that had been embedded into her side and frowned, "I'm going to pull it out, where is that black scarf of yours?"

" _Next to that bastard!"_ She could barely talk after having her throat gripped so tightly, but she did her best. She wouldn't let something like this break her. _"Genma?"_

"He was caught, having killed two of Sayuri's personal guards, but not the other three. I escaped with a substitution jutsu. _Ekhm..._ I took care of the last three...sorry it took so long to get the third one though... _ekhm_. They were grouped together originally, but the leader shot forward and _ekhm_ left the other two to deal with me."

" _So he was the leader of Sayuri's personal guard squad?_ _Aaah~!_ _"_ She cried out as he pulled the kunai from her side and laid it next to her.

"Yes, _ekhm, ekhm._ " Hayate sighed, "you actually dealt with most of the problem, I will leave you with the Lord Yue, and the Princess, but I think it's best if Genma and I take care of Sayuri and the Daimyo."

"Actually,"

The two turned to see Akemi standing about fifteen feet from them, "why are you here?" Hayate asked cautiously. Watching as Yue ran to catch up with his light footed bride-to-be.

"I was worried...she's so young, but she fought so hard...I will return to deal with my father and Lady in Waiting. I will marry Yue, but I will do so as the Princess of the Hidden Valleys Village!"

Kagome smiled, raising a fist halfheartedly as she did, _"...you go do that, this is me cheering you on."_

Akemi smiled, turning to Yue who looked worriedly at Kagome before turning his eyes to his bride, she placed her hand over his heart and leaned forward and shared a kiss with him before pulling away and turning to Hayate. "Will you accompany me? I'm certain I'll need your help, Yue can care for Kagome while we are away."

Hayate nodded.

Kagome found consciousness was slipping from her grasp faster than she could comprehend, and for a mere moment, she swore someone was talking to her. No, it was just a memory.

 **" _I made the mistake of assuming you wouldn't be afraid of anything."_**

Itachi's voice was like a gentle whisper in her ears, as if he were right beside her, though she knew better. ' _You aren't alone, Itachi-Sensei...after I faced my fear of the water, of rivers...I too assumed I wasn't afraid of anything else...'_

 **" _I won't make the same mistake again."_**

' _...neither will I...'_

 ** **-x-x-x-****

 ** **Me: Here is chapter 23, I'm going to go ahead and start working on chapter 24! Tell me what you think!****


	24. Chapter 24

****Lean on Me...****

 ** **Summary: She was found at such a young age, taken in by Shikaku, not as a daughter, but as a wife in training for his youngest son. How will this affect the Nara Clan...more specifically the laid back, easy going, semi-lazy...Shikamaru?****

 ** **Anime: InuYasha/Naruto****

 ** **Pairing: Shikamaru/Kagome****

 ** **Genre: Romance/Comfort/Hurt****

 ** **Rated: M for Mature****

 ** **-x-x-x-****

 ** _ **AGES RIGHT NOW**_**

 ** **AGES****

 ** **Kagome –**** ** **11****

 ** **Rookie Nine –**** ** **12****

 ** **Neji –**** ** **13****

 ** **Itachi - 1**** ** **8****

 ** **-x-x-x-****

Kagome didn't care if she'd missed the whole end of the mission. She really didn't. It was too troublesome to even think about right now, and she was too damn tired to care. However, Genma and Hayate had filled her in on the activities that had followed the Princess's return to her land. The corrupt father had tried to kill his own daughter, and Sayuri had acted on her love, and killed the Daimyo, and because of that, she was arrested for treason. Though, Kagome doubted that Akemi would leave her in a prison cell, it would be at the least a good punishment until she rights her wrongs. Or...well, as previously pointed out, Kagome seriously didn't care any longer. That's why she was happy being carried on Genma's back through the forest as they made their way back to Konoha.

" _She was right..."_

Genma perked up and tilted his head back at the soft whisper from Kagome, glancing at Hayate to make sure he hadn't been hearing things since her eyes were still closed. He verified that he wasn't going crazy when he saw Hayate shared an equally confused look in his eyes. "Who was?"

" _..._ _Akemi...she said...Sayuri valued love...I think...she really loved Akemi most and wanted to protect her. Like how I want to protect and save Itachi-Sensei...like me...she just didn't know how to, or maybe...she was just insane...perhaps both?_ _"_

Genma frowned, "I think she was just insane, Kagome. Don't compare her power hungry, to your loyalty to your Sensei.'

Kagome snuggled into Genma's back and tightened her hold on him as sleep once again took her.

 **-x-x-x-**

Shikamaru was doing what he always did when he wasn't thinking about the Chuunin Exam. He was thinking about Kagome. It had been over a week, and the exam apparently was in two more days. He was starting to think that Kagome wouldn't be able to participate.

"HEY! SHIKAMARU!"

He wondered if he ignored if she'd go away.

"HEY LAZY!"

' _Nope,'_ He sighed and jumped off of the Konoha gate and landed in front of Ino who stood in front of Izumo and Kotetsu, both looking equally as annoyed as Shikamaru felt. "What!?"

"Have you decided on whether or not you are going to participate? I'm still not sure."

"That's all on you, it's troublesome one way or the other."

"AH!" Izumo stood suddenly and pointed, "Shikamaru! It's Kagome's team!"

Ino frowned when Shikamaru turned his attention away from her, until she saw Kagome's team rush past them, and the state Kagome was in. Her eyes quickly changed from annoyed to worried, "that didn't look good Shikamaru."

He shook his head, "no, it didn't."

The two raced off, both leaving the Gate Keepers, Izumo and Kotetsu to watch the five leave them behind to wonder and worry. Ino could barely keep up with Shikamaru, he'd never run this fast, even on their missions out of the village, on the way home, nothing. Both ran inside the hospital and followed the trail that Kagome's team had left and watched the team leader lay the eleven year old down gently on a medical bed in an empty room before one of them left out the window with their report, leaving one of them behind to talk to the med kunoichi. Shikamaru who was breathing heavily from having pushed himself so hard to run so fast, pushed past Ino who had grabbed his arm on their arrival.

Her fingers stayed hovered in the air for a moment before she closed her hand and placed it gently to her chest. _'He's worried...it's nothing to do with me...he's just...really worried.'_ Ino leaned against the door frame and watched Shikamaru silently, watching him bring a hand to the girls cheek, she couldn't stop the flutter in her chest.

 **-x-x-x-**

Shikamaru was listening to Hayate and the nurse talk, who caught the part where she said that the wound wasn't serious, that she would be fine with some rest and some salve to help the healing along. However, he also heard the part where Hayate said that the would need to attend a psych evaluation to make sure she was okay after an "attack" that he refused to go into detail with _him_ in the room. So Shikamaru was worried. He was really worried. Wanting nothing more, than to hear Kagome ask if she was "allowed" to rest or if she was "allowed" to cause the nurses such trouble. Anything! "Kagome..." he had said her name without thinking, but it had stolen away the attentions of Hayate and the nurse who both looked over at him.

"Ah, Shikamaru-San, perhaps you should go home fo-"

" _Shikamaru~"_

The two turned their eyes to Kagome, Shikamaru had never taken his eyes off her, so he'd seen her eyes open. Completely ignoring the nurse, he leaned forward and let his forehead touch gently to Kagome's. Her eyes fluttered shut and tears began falling uncontrollably from her eyes as his thumb gently traced her cheek.

"I'd like to know what happened,"

The nurse looked shocked, "Shikamaru-San!"

Kagome wasn't really listening to the nurse, _"Hayate, could you please take the nurse out to the hall for the time...I'd...like to talk...with Shikamaru, alone."_

Hayate sighed, he wasn't sure this was a child friendly topic, but did as requested, and ushered both the Yamanaka daughter and the nurse out the door before closing it gently behind him.

"This isn't something she should be reliving!" The nurse snapped, "she needs to attend counseling!"

"What will she do, _ekhm_ , in counseling?"

The nurse sighed, "She'll talk to someone… _ah_...I mean..."

He raised a brow and nodded, "this situation may prove to be best for Kagome...so we will leave her be and Genma and I will watch her from afar once she's released."

Not seeing any end to this circle she was finding herself talking in, the nurse turned and left in a huff.

"Could you... _ekhm_...do me a favor?" Hayate asked the blonde who was waiting for Shikamaru, leaning quietly against the wall.

"...uh...you mean me?"

"Mn, yeah. I'm on orders to stay here, I need someone to go and get the Nara head of house, Shikaku Nara."

"Shikamaru's dad?" She nodded, "okay, I can do that." She gave one final look at the door her teammate stood behind with Kagome, and then left quickly out the Hospital.

 **-x-x-x-**

Shikamaru sat beside her on the bed, his back against the wall as she laid with her head on his lap. She had told him everything, and she'd voiced it all without an ounce of emotion in her voice, blocking out everything she'd felt during the moment of her attack. He understood why, but he hadn't liked it. However, he would wait till she was at least back home, before he held her and encouraged her tears. He couldn't force her to break down before the staff of the Hospital. He understood that much, she wanted to be strong, she hated to look weak, but with him, she was fine crying, he just had to be patient. The gentle rise and fall of her chest confirmed that she was asleep again.

He clenched his free fist while the other continued running through her hair gently, he had so many emotions running around inside of him, but anger was definitely the most prominent that he felt among all of them.

"Boy,"

Shikamaru glanced up, not noticing himself, his father on the other hand did, the tears swirling in his eyes. Shikamaru...was crying…

Ino was staring in shock from her spot behind his dad, turning, she quickly left the hospital. This wasn't anything she should be seeing, still...that side of him...that side...she wanted to be the one he showed that side to.

 **-x-x-x-**

 **(The Next Day)**

Shikaku had Kagome discharged once the nurse had cleaned and wrapped her wound, taking her home and placing her back in her room, where to his humor, Shikamaru had relocated himself to. "I wasn't aware that you and Kagome were that close."

"It's not like that."

Shikaku raised a brow at his son, "Oh?"

"Until I hear her tell me honestly, that she's okay...I want to stay by her side." Shikamaru said this, all while staring back at Kagome who was sleeping soundly on her bed.

"You have the Chuunin Exam tomorrow."

"But..." Shikamaru frowned. "She'll make it, just let her sleep for today. I'm going to speak with the Hokage, and see if Kagome is even eligible to participate."

"Why wouldn't she be?"-

"You need...oh, never mind, you'll figure it out later."

Shikamaru scoffed, but didn't bother to watch his father leave, instead, he continued moving things around and making himself comfortable. A familiar jewel dangling on a hook on the wall caught his eye as he did. "This thing..." He stepped forward and lifted the pink jewel into his hand, taking it from the hook before walking over to Kagome's bed and settling himself beside her. "I haven't seen this since she first showed up. She'd carry it everywhere before..." It hadn't quite understood the girls obsession with the necklace until his father had explained that it had once belonged to her mother. _'I wonder if it had any important meaning...it's just a pendent now...but before...'_ He lifted Kagome's head a bit and draped the chain over her head and laid the jewel on her chest before grabbing a scroll and choosing to immerse himself in reading until she either woke, or he fell asleep.

 **-x-x-x-**

Shikaku stared at the two girls in front of him and sighed at the offhanded comment that the Hokage had given him in concerns to the two before having them come in.

 **" _There is no chance of them passing the exams, they will be there merely as pawns for Kagome's own success._ _"_**

' _He certainly seems sure about it. These two...they are Genin but their Jounin_ _Squad leader already said they weren't ready to be Chuunin, they are seriously just being loaned out to Kagome. Tch...such a troublesome girl._ _'_ Shikaku laughed a bit under his breath. "The two of you will meet at the Chuunin Exam halls front doors. Kagome will be arriving with team Ino-Shika-Cho and I will make sure she understands the situation before her departure to the Exam." He cleared his throat, "as you girls are aware, this is not your Exam, you have a couple years to go before you will be able to properly test...this is to be considered a C ranked mission, and your silence is mandatory."

 **"** _ **Sir,"** _ The two replied simultaneously before he dismissed them and they left together.

' _Even the Hokage will do things that suit his needs...'_ He too left the Hokage tower and returned home, thankful to know that Kagome's continued growth wouldn't stop due to her not having a team. After all, her excelling in studies placed her at an advantage, and no other student was capable of teaming with her at that time, so her team could only be Genin or Chuunin levels. "I feel like I've become all the more tired since I took her in...so bothersome."

 **-x-x-x-**

' _It's quiet...' Kagome looked around, there was no one, nobody was near or far for miles. Pushing her chakra out, she tried to search for another person, but again, she found no one. Finally, she settled herself on the ground and basked in the silence. "It's fine like this. I don't mind the silence..."_

 **" _Are you not lonely in the silence?"_**

 _Kagome jumped at the voice, turning around and placing her hand to the vast emptiness, she searched for the voice, "No, not really."_

 **" _Are you not scared of the silence?"_**

 _It came from another direction this time, somehow, it sounded oddly familiar. "No, not really." She found herself repeating the same answer._

 **" _Are you not worried about the silence?"_**

' _What's with these questions?' Kagome frowned, and once more, her mouth formed the words of her earlier responses, "No, not really."_

 **" _Are you not? Are you? Are you really not?"_**

" _...no...I, not really...no...?" Kagome was so confused, where was this voice coming from and why did it sound so familiar, she was sure of it, she'd heard it before. "What about you?!"_

 **" _Me? I am lonely in the silence...I am afraid of the silence...I am worried about the silence."_**

" _...who are you...?"_ _A hand touched her shoulder gently and Kagome turned and jumped away from the figure that appeared suddenly out of nowhere. Her eyes widened and she stared in shock at the person before her, her body shaking at the revelation of the_ _owner of the voice. She blinked a few times, as if the person would disappear if she did, but they were still there. "...no way..." In front of her stood, a mirror image of herself._

 **" _Are you disappointed?"_**

" _This is a dream!" Kagome shook her head and stumbled back further away from the vision of herself._

 **" _Which makes this all the more real. You can't run from your fears, Kagome...you can't run from who you are!"_**

" _What are you talking about, I'm not running!"_

 **" _Aren't you though? I haven't forgotten...mama and papa...are both dead...and that man who killed them is still out there."_**

" _...that man..." Kagome felt tears burn at her eyes, "...Orochimaru...I remember...I remember...Mama...Papa...he killed them. I ran away, I was so scared...I was so afraid. Then...it was quiet...it got so quiet, after mama tossed me into the river. I knew, and yet I still didn't pursue the act of vengeance. I'm still afraid, and still...too weak..."_

 **" _...he's coming...will you run from him?"_**

" _...he's...coming?" Kagome began shaking with a knew fit of tremors, her eyes closed tightly as the slaughtered screams of her mother and father echoed in the once silent space of vast emptiness. Those screams surrounded her, she could her the sounds of flesh being pierced, bones breaking, the last breaths of her parents..."...no. I will not run...I will kill him! I WILL KILL HIM FOR WHAT HE DID TO MAMA AND PAPA!"_

 **" _I'm glad...I feel the same way. I'm scared, but I want to avenge, Mama and Papa!"_**

 _A bright pink light began to form between the two and started to grow in it's light and shine until it was taking up all of the vastness._

 **-x-x-x-**

Kagome woke to the same bright pink shine and quickly covered her eyes. A few moments later, when she opened them, she was sitting alone in silence. She looked down and her eyes widened at the still slightly glowing pink jewel that dangled around her neck. Lifting it, she thought back to her dream and she found that she felt, for the first time in a long time...afraid, lonely and worried...of the silence.

 ** **-x-x-x-****

 ** **Me: Here is chapter 24 of Lean on Me. Tell me what you think, nyan~!****


	25. Chapter 25

****Lean on Me...****

 ** **Summary: She was found at such a young age, taken in by Shikaku, not as a daughter, but as a wife in training for his youngest son. How will this affect the Nara Clan...more specifically the laid back, easy going, semi-lazy...Shikamaru?****

 ** **Anime: InuYasha/Naruto****

 ** **Pairing: Shikamaru/Kagome****

 ** **Genre: Romance/Comfort/Hurt****

 ** **Rated: M for Mature****

 ** **-x-x-x-****

 ** _ **AGES RIGHT NOW**_**

 ** **AGES****

 ** **Kagome –**** ** **11****

 ** **Rookie Nine –**** ** **12****

 ** **Neji –**** ** **13****

 ** **Itachi - 1**** ** **8****

 ** **-x-x-x-****

Shikamaru walked back to Kagome's room, his eyes widened slightly as the light glow of the jewel in her hand caught his attention. She glanced up, taking his eyes off of the jewel and bringing them to her. "...how are you feeling?"

Kagome looked back down to the jewel and watched as the light glow faded completely. A frown met her lips and she sighed, "I feel tired, but I'll live."

"I see. Do you want something to eat, something to drink? Water perhaps?"

"No," she let the jewel fall loosely from her hand.

"..." he walked over to her bed and maneuvered the blanket away from her body. Her hand found his as she went to stop him from lifting the corner of her shirt to expose the injury she'd attained on her mission...though, her eyes didn't meet his. She stared out the window of her bedroom and watched the deer's from her spot in bed. "Let me see,"

She turned her eyes back to Shikamaru and looked at him for a few seconds, "it's gone."

"Gone?"

"...I felt it, I felt it go away..." she let go of his hand and he continued to lift her shirt over the bandages and peel the bandages back to show her unmarred complexion. "I was healed...by mama's jewel."

Shikamaru's eyes were wide as he turned her words over in his head, he saw the injury, and now...there was nothing to speak of. As if she had never been attacked, no wound was left behind. "That's quite the jewel..."

"Yeah." She stared at it, "can I get out of bed? Am I allowed to?"

"That phrase," he laughed, "tch...'am I allowed to'. You aren't a prisoner, Kagome...I won't ever tell you that you can't get out of bed...or that you can't leave the house. Though, to be perfectly honest, hearing those words...I can't deny how much I've missed hearing them."

Kagome smiled as a blush formed softly along Shikamaru's cheeks. "You missed me then?"

"Is that what I said?" He looked away stubbornly.

"It's what I heard..."

Silence fell over the two and they enjoyed it for what it was. The company that both had so greatly missed and needed.

 ** **-x-x-x-****

Kagome woke to a gentle nudge the next morning. Shikaku stood over her bed with a bag in one hand and a scroll in the other. "Shikaku-Sama?"

He took a step back as she sat up. Holding the scroll out first, he let it go as she took it in hand and unrolled it. "Be dressed and ready in thirty minutes. Shikamaru already left to meet his team, you will be expected to do such as well."

She let her eyes roam the scroll before grinning and nodding her head in acknowledgment. "Right!"

He left her room and she was quick to throw the blankets off and pull her new clothes out of the bag. To her surprise, on the shoulder of her top, there was the Nara clan crest. She wasn't part of the family yet, and didn't carry the last name 'Nara'...yet there it was. She couldn't conceal her smile, her heart racing at the insignia. "This will be just one more thing to fight for." She pulled on the long sleeved one piece, cargo green dress, a pair of spandex shorts and a set of knee length socks and wrist bands. Tying around her waist a gray cloth belt, she grabbed her gray vest and started to equipped her weapons and a few of her scrolls to her thigh. She looked at her long hair and smiled as she twisted it up into a tight bun before taking her sharpened senbon and stabbing them into the twist.

Walking over to her nifty selection of weapons, she critically eyed her collection before she decided on her weapon of choice for this particular _event_. The weapon she lifted off of her floor, was called a Manriki-gusari. Two weights on a length of chain. She was quite fond of the weapon, but very rarely did she get a chance to use it. Today, she would allow the weapon a chance to shine.

 **" _Kagome~!"_**

Lifting her head, she ran to her closet and quickly pulled on her black sandals before opening her door and running down stairs. "I'm here!"

Yoshino laughed as she patted the seat at the table, "you have about ten minutes, eat before you leave."

Nodding, she absently shoveled the food that Yoshino placed in front of her down her throat. She was in a hurry, she wanted to leave, wanted to fight! It had been so long since she trained or saw any of her friends. With Shikamaru and her on talking terms again, she wanted to see Neji and how he'd grown the last few years. She wanted to see Chouji again, Kiba and Naruto! She missed everyone...and wanted to show how much she'd grown. "I'm leaving first, I'll see you all later!" She passed by And bowed quickly to Shikaku who watched her run out the door before jumping off out of sight.

 **-x-x-x-**

Unrolling the scroll, she reread the last passage of the scroll. _'Meet_ _in front the Chuunin Examination Hall. Temporary teammates: Namisuka, Ami and Okata, Fuki will be waiting for your arrival and from there you will progress forward as participants of the Chuunin Exam. Good luck._ _'_ She looked up at the Examination Hall, turning her eyes towards the wall of the building, she noted two girls a tad bit taller than herself waiting leisurely beside the entrance. "...I wonder..." stepping up to the two girls, she cleared her throat and watched as both lifted their head and looked at her critically. "Ami and Fuki?" Uncertainty leaked into her voice at the annoyed look in their eyes.

"Look at you, so tiny...and yet we are here to fill in for the fact that you have no teammates?" A girl with long purple hair scoffed, flicking a bang from her eyes as she did.

Kagome frowned, "what?"

"Quiet Ami, that's not to be disclosed." This one with spiked maroon colored hair, sighed and held out a hand. "I'm Fuki, this is Ami. We'll be your teammates during the Chuunin Exam's."

Kagome took her hand and nodded, "thank you. I apologize if any of this is an inconvenience to either of you, but lets work hard, from here on...we're a team."

 ** **-x-x-x-****

 ** **Me: Here is chapter 25! I don't have anything to say, but I'm sorry it took so long to update!****


	26. Chapter 26

****Lean on Me...****

 ** **Summary: She was found at such a young age, taken in by Shikaku, not as a daughter, but as a wife in training for his youngest son. How will this affect the Nara Clan...more specifically the laid back, easy going, semi-lazy...Shikamaru?****

 ** **Anime: InuYasha/Naruto****

 ** **Pairing: Shikamaru/Kagome****

 ** **Genre: Romance/Comfort/Hurt****

 ** **Rated: M for Mature****

 ** **-x-x-x-****

 ** _ **AGES RIGHT NOW**_**

 ** **AGES****

 ** **Kagome –**** ** **11****

 ** **Rookie Nine –**** ** **12****

 ** **Neji –**** ** **13****

 ** **Itachi - 1**** ** **8****

 ** **-x-x-x-****

Kagome pushed open the doors of the Chuunin Examination Hall, it was only the first floor, and the scroll made it clear that all applicants were to meet on the third floor. So walking to her left, she made it towards the second floor and started down the hall towards the staircase that would lead to the third floor. Coming to quite the scene in front of her, she looked curiously at the childishly familiar forms that stood by guarding the doors to the second floors stairway. Watching from a distance for a moment she seemed confused to see them pushing the other applicants of the Chuunin Exam around. One in a green jumpsuit was knocked to the floor and all because they wouldn't let anyone pass through. She noticed Neji beside the kid who'd been knocked down, but chose not to confront him. Looking back to the two who blocked everyone's way,she closed her eyes and sighed before making a choice. As many times as she and her teammates hung out with the two, she wanted to say they wouldn't try anything on her…yet...

She stepped forward and made herself known to the two adults, not bothering to say anything to either, she pushed by but was stopped by a hand. Looking to her wrist, she glanced up coldly at the familiar face of Kotetsu, one of the gates guards. _"...you want to make a scene?"_

Kotetsu's eyes widened and Izumo was the one to place a hand on his and draw him back. "We can make a scene," Kotetsu said coolly.

"I need to get to the third floor, I will either do this without the hassle of fighting you, or I will do this after washing my hands of you."

" _Third floor?_ _"_

' _Neither of you can compare to Itachi Uchiha...I can't be fooled by such a weak Genjutsu!'_

The two stared long and hard at Kagome before they both stepped aside.

"What did she mean by the third floor, this is the third floor." Ami said in annoyance as she followed Kagome inside with Fuki beside her.

Kagome ignored the mouthy girl and walked on towards the end of the hall and made her way upstairs to the second floor.

 **-x-x-x-**

Fuki and Ami glanced over to Kagome who was sitting in a seat towards the far right of the room. They two were sitting down in their own seats, being separated since teammates couldn't sit next to one another. Not that it mattered, they weren't even close. Ami was glaring hatefully at the pencil in her hand and muttering about one thing or another, but Fuki...Fuki couldn't take her eyes off of Kagome. She was calm and relaxed, any bout of nervousness she might have had, she didn't make obvious to anyone.

"Sasuke! Where have you been?! Haha, boy, you have no idea how much I was hoping you'd show up here. I've missed those brooding good looks of yours!"

"Hey you porker, back off, he's mine!"

"Miss. Forehead, they let you in?!"

Kagome turned her eyes over towards the group of kids coming through the door, although, they were garnering attention, Kagome was beyond attention. She was being given the ugliest of looks. She was eleven years old, so she was a year younger than even the group of nine who were already being called the "Rookie Nine".

Kagome cleared her throat and the nine turned their gaze back to the large group of participants for the Chuunin Exam.

"We seem to have garnered some unwanted attention..." Sakura said as she stepped back a bit.

"Unwanted attention, that describes it perfectly. You don't want to be the center of attention quite yet."

Kagome looked on at the group as some silver haired nin walked over and started up a conversation with the group. She could make out some of it, but she wasn't all that interested in what was being said, truth be told.

Shikamaru sighed. "Man, what a drag." He looked to see who it was that had called to their attention and he lifted his head towards Kagome in acknowledgment.

This didn't go unnoticed by Ino who looked on with depressed eyes at Shikamaru who seemed to give all of his attention to Kagome. The younger girl stood and started to make her way over to him, as if silently called on. Ino narrowed her eyes, but kept her opinion to herself. Hell, it wasn't like she hated the girl or anything, she just...why did it have to be Shikamaru? Her arms slackened on Sasuke's shoulders, this went noticed by Sasuke who glanced curiously at her from over his shoulder and took in the direction she was looking in, though...he said nothing.

"I wouldn't go making a spectacle of yourselves. You've already made a memorable impression...look around."

Ino turned harsh eyes to the nin and snapped, "who asked you!? Who are you?!"

"My name is Yakushi, Kabuto but I'm not who you should be worried about. That group there, they are from the rain village, and over there, hidden mist...then sand...and others still. Everyone is sensitive right now, very touchy...they all are; this exam makes everyone tense. You don't want to rub them the wrong way...not right now."

Shikamaru walked away from the group and stopped a few feet away, standing in front of him was Kagome who looked happily into his eyes before turning her attention to the guy with the silver hair. He was pulling out a deck of cards and showing them to the rookie nine. After revealing that he was taking the exam for the seventh time consecutively, Kagome would have been surprised if he didn't have all the inside dirt of every one of the Ninja Villages.

Shikamaru sighed in boredom as he too listened to the guy talk on and on about the balance of power and such.

Sasuke stepped forward, "do those cards of yours have any information on the candidates...individually?"

Perking up at the inquiry, Kagome too had been wondering something similarly, but not quite the same.

"They might, you have someone special in mind?"

"I might."

Kabuto put the card back with the deck and straightened them neatly, "well, I can't promise my information is complete or perfect, but I've got something on just about everyone. Including you guys of course. So, which one is it? Tell me anything you known about them, a description, where they're from, whatever...anything at all."

Sasuke spoke again, "he's Gaara of the Desert, and there's Rock Lee of the Leaf Village while you're at it."

"Man, that's no fun, you even know their names. That makes it easy."

Kagome watched curiously, turning her eyes to the nin who were still furiously gazing upon the group of rookies, she sighed. She looked back as Kabuto revealed the first card, Rock Lee. She was familiar with him, since she'd been in class with him for a little bit. He shared classes with herself, Neji and Tenten...the two others who made up his team. "He's on Gai-Sensei's team, right?" Kagome asked.

Sakura nodded, "yeah, the creepy Sensei who Rock Lee styles his hair after! They're both so weird..."

"Ah...my memory of Rock Lee...he's a hard worker...and kind of silly, but he's good...very good. His Taijutsu is still the only thing that's off the charts..." she pointed out as she looked at the stats on the card from upside down.

"Yes, it looks like he's a year older than you guys. Mission experience is eleven C ranks and twenty D ranks. Like you said, his squad leader is Gai-Sensei, and his Taijutsu over the last twelve months has radically improved, but the other skills leave much to be desired."

Kagome smiled, "Rock Lee...doesn't need any other skills."

Kabuto frowned, looking up he turned his eyes to Kagome. "What does that mean?"

"I mean, his speed and Taijutsu more than make up for his like of Chakra use."

Shikamaru frowned, "you seem confidant in that."

"I am, again, it's been quite some time since I've been in class with Rock Lee, but I know that the Rock Lee from then...if he trained the way he did...than right now, he is more than able to take down any one of these squads on his own."

Kabuto looked thoughtfully down at his card before the information vanished and he laid out the second card. "Moving on, Gaara of the Desert. Mission experience, eight C rank, and...get this, one B rank as a Genin. There's not a lot of information on this guy, he was a rookie from another land originally...but there is this. He survived every mission without getting a scratch on him."

Shikamaru looked stunned, "the dudes done a B rank mission as a Genin...and has never even been injured?!"

Kagome looked uncomfortable, thinking about her C rank mission she'd just gotten back from, after the mission report was made, it had been pushed to a B rank mission as well. Those were not easy missions. To come out of it without a scratch, "...how daunting." She turned to see Sakura trying to talk Naruto out of a state of what appeared to be shock.

He growled and turned suddenly towards the entire room of nin, **"AHHHH! MY NAME IS UZUMAKI, NARUTO! AND I'M GONNA BEAT EVERY ONE OF YA! BEEEEEEELIEVE IT!"**

The rookie nine became much livelier with Naruto's declaration, Kagome couldn't help smiling. "Oh..." she turned to Kabuto and stepped up to him. Capturing the attention of the rookie nine, she spoke in a lower voice so not to be overheard by anyone outside of their group. "Those cards of yours..."

"My info cards? What about them?"

"I know you have information on those here, but what of those from previous exams?"

"...Previous exams? Someone you know?"

"Not quite," Kagome frowned, "I mean...I know him, but not on a personal level, no."

"Oh? Then what is it?"

"...it's someone...I'm looking for. Someone who should be here...but I would like to address him with more than just his name..."

Shikamaru frowned and stared curiously at Kagome's back, "who?"

"yes, what is this nin's name, I might have information on them." Kabuto said as he placed his deck on the ground once more.

"...his name..." she closed her eyes and took a calming breath.

Ino placed a hand on Kagome's shoulder, the sullen look on the smaller girls face was heartbreaking. "Kagome?"

Kabuto asked once more, "whats the name?"

" _...Orochimaru..."_

 ** **-x-x-x-****

 ** **Me: Here is chapter twenty-six! I hope you guys are all still with me, let me know what you think, nyan! Geeze, what ever will you guys do? I'm spoiling you with all these updates...and this chapter was much longer than the others, lol. Just kidding, I have another chapter started, I'm thinking it'll be up much later tonight. Anyways, review~!****


	27. Chapter 27

****Lean on Me...****

 ** **Summary: She was found at such a young age, taken in by Shikaku, not as a daughter, but as a wife in training for his youngest son. How will this affect the Nara Clan...more specifically the laid back, easy going, semi-lazy...Shikamaru?****

 ** **Anime: InuYasha/Naruto****

 ** **Pairing: Shikamaru/Kagome****

 ** **Genre: Romance/Comfort/Hurt****

 ** **Rated: M for Mature****

 ** **-x-x-x-****

 ** _ **AGES RIGHT NOW**_**

 ** **AGES****

 ** **Kagome –**** ** **11****

 ** **Rookie Nine –**** ** **12****

 ** **Neji –**** ** **13****

 ** **Itachi - 1**** ** **8****

 ** **-x-x-x-****

" _...Orochimaru..."_

"Who's this Orochimaru guy?" Shikamaru asked, looking curiously at Kabuto who seemed speechless by Kagome's request.

"Well, to be frank, I'm not surprised that you don't know much about him. Even if he's one of the Hidden Leaf Villages Legendary Sannin." He looked at the girl and sighed, "I wont have much information...statistically, if I'm being perfectly honest."

"Then tell me what you do know."

"Hey, who is this guy?" Naruto asked, stepping up beside the younger of their group.

"..."

Shikamaru called out to her, "Kagome?"

Noticing that she wasn't giving anyone any answers, Kabuto sighed and nodded, "...right, what will you do with this information once you have it?"

"I would like to meet this man...after all...I have something he wants...and he has something I want."

Kabuto sighed, he too...it would seem...wouldn't be getting anything else out of her. Infusing his chakra into one of the cards, it spun around for a good few seconds before stopping with the image of a pasty man on the front with long black hair.

Kagome felt her heart speed up at the sight of him.

" _Neither of us will let you get your hands on that orb, Orochimaru!"_

A familiar voice echoed in her head. The thumping of her heart, she was certain that the others could hear it!

" _Tsk, I guess I'll have no choice but to kill you then, I am under the impression that your brat has it anyways."_

A sickly, raspy voice found her hidden fears, pulling each of them to the surface as if to showcase them to the world.

" _Where is your precious little girl?"_

He was at the exam, she knew as much...

" _Is she being hidden away?"_

She also knew that he wasn't there for her. He didn't know where she was...he couldn't have found her.

" _I'm sure two smart parents like you wouldn't let her wander too close with the knowledge of my coming to collect your jewel."_

" _She's gone, long gone! To a place you won't ever find her! You sick monster~!"_

That was okay though...if he didn't know, all the better...because she was going to find him!

" _MIDORIKO~!"_

" _Sh-Shiga! G-go!"_

" _No...no, I won't leave you!"_

And when she did...

" _You will both die now,"_

 **...she would kill him...**

"KAGOME!"

Her eyes snapped open, when had she closed them!? She was shaking, just from the image? Really!? Is that all it takes, a picture?! _'Pull yourself together Kagome!'_

" _Is she okay?"_

" _What's wrong with her Shikamaru?"_

"Kagome...listen to me...snap out of it, damn it!" Shikamaru growled out as he took her shoulders in a firm grip and shook her roughly. Drawing her attention to him, he calmed his breathing and watched as she breathed in deeply before letting go of the terrors that had resurfaced. "...are you okay now?"

"What do you mean!?" Sakura yelled, "Is she okay now? She nearly went into a state of shock!"

"She's clearly _not_ okay, Shikamaru!"

"Guys, be quiet!" Naruto yelled, crouched down beside Kagome, next to Shikamaru, he was staring into Kagome's eyes, and he saw a familiar look buried deep within her blue orbs. "...tch...she's fine. She's hurting, but she's fine."

Kagome looked to Naruto, she knew his heart understood hers...just like she was sure that Sasuke's did too, if he took time to look at it, that is. Sasuke was staring at her in understanding, but wasn't delving into her problems. Just like he hadn't since the Uchiha Massacre. It was her problem, not his...and that was fine with her.

"...did...you want me to continue?" Kabuto inquired, lifting the card so that the face of Orochimaru wasn't visible to her.

"...yes please." Kagome answered softly...her breathing had come back to her, and her heart had returned to it's normal beat.

"Well, as you can see here, his stats are pretty well balanced, again, he's a Legendary Sannin. Albeit, he's a Missing Nin, and an S-Class at that...he's a criminal to the Leaf Village and all of Fire Country. The only skills that seem to be lacking, and not by much...are his Taijutsu, Stamina and Force...again..it's not by much. He graduated at the age of six...looks like, while he was a Ninja of Konoha, he completed sixteen D-ranked missions, three hundred and thirty-two C-ranked missions, five hundred and twenty-one B-ranked missions, four hundred and ninety-one A-ranked missions and...and one hundred and eight...S-ranked missions. He is placed in the Kage class...meaning...he has Kage level skills. That's...all I know..."

"That was plenty. ... _Kage level skills..._ " Kagome closed her eyes and sighed. _'I can't...lay a finger on him...'_ tightening her fingers into a tight fist, she cursed under her breath but otherwise, she remained quiet. Standing, she cleared her head and turned her mind to something else entirely. Shikamaru's hand...the one that was holding hers. She focused on how tightly he was holding it, and felt herself grow more relaxed with all the trauma around her. "I'm going to return to my seat, you best find your own."

As she started walking away, three blurs from the crowd drew her attention and she found herself reacting faster than Shikamaru could keep up with. Her hand left his, grabbing her Manriki-gusari that had been strapped to her hip in the shape of a scroll. Biting down on her thumb and unrolling the scroll, she let her thumb run swiftly along the parchment as a poof sounded and her chained weapon fell into her hands. All of this happened in a single instant as she threw the weight forward and it wrapped tightly and dangerously around the Sound ninja's arm just before he moved to punch Kabuto. "Getting ahead of yourself, don't you think?" Kagome asked coolly as she yanked the ninja backwards and caused him to stumble in surprise. "The exam hasn't even started yet...so why don't we all try and get along." She loosened the chain of her weights and the room echoed at the sound of the weight hitting the ground before she walked up to it while wrapping the chain up and placing it over her shoulder. She turned and left the group to stare after her as she took Shikamaru's hand and dragged him off to the seat next to hers.

"Tch...this kid doesn't know who she's messing with!" A woman snarled angrily as she watched the eleven year old saunter off.

"I think she had an idea of who she was messing with..." Neji stepped up and smirked, "...it's you who's too cocky...perhaps you should reconsider this exam...it's no place for weaklings."

An explosion of smoke sounded, "alright you baby faced degenerates, pipe down and listen up!" Everyone in the room turned to the front of the room to see who had just appeared. "It's time to begin. I'm Morino, Ibiki, your proctor, and from this moment...your worst enemy."

Kagome stared guardedly at the man with the scars across his face. He'd been one of many to interrogate her after Itachi's defection from the village. She wasn't _fond_ of him...that was for certain. She sighed as he spoke to the entirety of the group, listening as he scolded the Sound Village, and more so as he explained that their first test would be, in fact, a written test. Naruto cried out pitifully in the background and she smiled at his over-exaggerated persona. "Naruto sure has a way of making everyone more comfortable...don't you think?"

"Tch...he's troublesome..." Shikamaru sighed, "...but I guess he means well."

Kagome nodded, standing and walking to the front to receive her seat number. It was no surprise to her that everyone was relatively separated. Next to her was a young boy with red hair and aquamarine eyes. He was cute in a dark and...well...lonely kind of way. Still, she liked Shikamaru, so she didn't think much about her thoughts on his look. Turning her attention over to the pencil that lay on the desk in front of her, she waited for the exams to all be distributed face down on their tables. "This shouldn't be too difficult..." she said to herself, her own source of motivation. Turning at the feel of eyes on her, she smiled sweetly to her neighbor, "hi."

"..."

"..." Kagome blinked curiously at the silent boy, then decided to go ahead and introduce herself. "Kagome...what's your name?"

"..." he turned and faced forward once again.

When she thought he was ignoring her, she turned back to the front and stared patiently at the Chuunin and Jounin standing up front.

"...Gaara..."

Her ears perked at the soft whispered...yet tired tone in his voice. She turned her head back and her eyes looked him over. He didn't look tired...though, his eyes...heavy with the black shadows...she couldn't tell if it was makeup or insomnia. "...this is personal, so feel free not to answer me, but...have you been sleeping?" She knew that she herself found some nights to be especially difficult to sleep, but that came from memories of her past suffocating her in the present. She knew nothing of him or his problems.

He kept his eyes forward, and said nothing. She wasn't surprised, but she also was okay with the results of her questioning him. His silence spoke volumes more than his words.

"...I guess not..."

His eyes met hers one last time before they both turned their attention to Ibiki who walked up to the bored with a piece of chalk in hand.

"Everyone, eyes front! There are a few rules you need to be aware of...and I won't answer any questions. So you better pay attention the first time around!"

Kagome kept her eyes on Ibiki, listening dutifully to all of his rules. The first was simple, the exam was conducted on a point reduction system, starting the test with ten points, and losing one point for every question that you answer wrong. Needless to say, that meant there were ten questions in total, and that each of those chosen ten questions would be extremely difficult. The second rule bothered her a bit, since it entailed that the passing or failing of a team was decided on the score of the team as a whole. If two failed, all three failed, if one failed, all three failed. The group had to pass as a group to pass at all. The third rule pointed out the sentinels around the room, they would be keeping their eyes out for cheaters. For every act of cheating spotted, they would subtract two points from the culprits score, if that person got to zero, they...along with their team...were disqualified. The more Kagome listened to the rules, the more apparent the task became. _'They want you to cheat...to do so stealthily, and to get away with it unseen. That's the test...tch. I won't need to cheat though. I'll just answer the questions and be done with the exam. Those of us who have studied...we'll be fine.'_

"One more thing, if any candidate should get a zero and fail the test, then the entire team fails. The final question wont be given out until the end of the testing period...you'll have one hour total. BEGIN!"

 **-x-x-x-**

 **Me: So...like I said, once I get through the Chuunin exam, the story plot will return to Kagome centric. Please be patient while I try to maneuver through the Chuunin Exam and make it compatible with Lean on Me while not following the complete script.** **Love you guys!**


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